8 days to GTA 6: newer cars need a key cloner, and not every car is yours for the taking

Eight days. Today: the car at the kerb is not automatically yours.

Confirmed

In GTA V, every car on the road was yours the moment you opened the door. GTA 6 changes that. Older cars can be taken directly. Newer cars need a key cloner or other tools that unlock as the story goes on. Rob Nelson of Rockstar North called it stratification: a high-end car in the opening hours is a target you work toward.

Pulling a driver out is not instant either. There is a struggle, and the showcase suggests stamina plays into it. In one clip Lucia sets fire to a getaway car to destroy evidence.

Reported

Edge says every car has a fuel gauge and engine health, some carry trackers that broadcast to the police, and a phone app scans a parked car's value, lock, alarm and tracker before you commit.

Our guess

This is the change GTA V players will feel first. The early game becomes beaters and pickups, and a supercar means something when you finally get one. It also makes Rolo's piece on getaway cars, fuel and trackers worth reading before day one.

Full page: Car theft and keys. Tomorrow is pre-load day.