A recent leak on Twitter suggests that Rockstar will take simulated water physics to levels of unprecedented realism withGrand Theft Auto 6. The studio has been on the cutting edge of the medium for years, andGTA 6,its next highly-anticipated release, will undoubtedly continue that trend on the fronts of design, gameplay, and storytelling, more concretely affirmed from what little has been revealed to the public for Rockstar’s newest entry in its longest-running franchise.
Five years sinceRed Dead Redemption 2,the last release from Rockstar, the studio has yet to release any meaningful information regardingthe development ofGTA 6. Most of what is known has come by way of leaks, much to the dismay of the legendary gaming studio. Leading speculation placesGTA 6’s grand unveiling at some point in 2023, but until then, fans are piecing together snippets of information for any indication of what it has in store.
RELATED:Grand Theft Auto Leaker Narrows Down GTA 6 Release Date
Rockstar Intends to Make a Big Splash With GTA 6
Rockstar insider Aleix Venturas recently peeled back the curtain on what the engineering team was cooking up for its extensive updates toRockstar’s in-house RAGE engine. Bringing a game as ambitious and grandiose asGTA 6into fruition requires being at the forefront of game design technology, and, inspired by the cost-prohibitive Nvidia Wave Works feature, The RAGE engine is being bolstered with top-of-the-line water simulation physics.
The leak suggests it will represent a significant step up from the current standard of water in games, which varies, but can already perform in an impressively realistic for more aquatic-focused titles likeSubnauticaandSea of Thieves. The RAGE engine had previously handled the simulation of liquid at an industry-leading level, withGTA 5andRed Dead Redemption 2both showcasing spectacularly immersive and responsive water physics.
The prospect of Rockstar raising the ante once more is thrilling yet expected, given its pedigree. The Wave Works software from Nvidia shows how mindbogglingly expensive it can be to perfect water physics, leaving it to AAA studios with the capital to make it work to raise that particular bar, and Rockstar appears to be making it a priority withGTA 6. Years from now, after the game has been released and the tools required for that level of water physics become more widely available,GTA 6may be looked at for inspirationwhen it comes to the briny depths in underwater-based video games.
GTA 6 Could Be an Underwater Trailblazer
There are exceptions, but for the most part, water in games still exists in a somewhat elementary fashion. Diving underwater can alter movement, vision, and a character’s sense of gravity, but few games bother with simulating a sense of liquid displacement or coalescence.
A ripple and a splash can be rendered, but the body of water being jumped into remains relatively static in most cases. Rockstar intends to change that dynamic at a granular level, and while the information regarding that intended desire only exists as a leak for now, the jump in qualitybetweenGTA 5andRed Dead Redemption 2in terms of simulating the surface tension of water sets the pace for what its next game will entail.
As fans ravenously consume any and all tidbits ofnews surroundingGTA 6, Rockstar is biding its time until the game is ready to reveal in earnest.GTA Onlinecontinues to be a windfall for the studio, and undoubtedly, as it commits that revenue to its next game and updates to the RAGE engine, the studio is creating something it hopes will be era-defining. Despite the nigh-impossible standard gamers have set for the studio, Rockstar has so far been up to the task, and there is no reason to suspect thatGTA 6will be any different.
Grand Theft Auto 6is currently in development.
MORE:GTA 6 Has to Finally Answer Several Questions Left Behind by Vice City
