GTA 6: Hurricanes, 170+ Animals, and Fast Travel Revealed

Ever wondered what it'd be like to outrun a hurricane in GTA 6? Well, wonder no more, because Rockstar just confirmed that hurricanes are officially coming to Leonida. In a massive new info drop via Game Informer, the studio spilled the beans on everything from extreme weather to wildlife, and it's a lot to take in.

First up, the weather. Rockstar re-engineered its entire weather system to make it localized, persistent, and dynamic. That means you could be soaking up sun in one part of the map while watching a rainstorm rage in the distance. Rainbows and puddles will also appear, so you can tell it recently rained somewhere even if you weren't there. Wind will ripple water, blow hair around, and push debris across the world. And hurricanes? They're in, with heavy clouds, strong winds, dense atmospherics, and tons of rain making everything dripping wet, water gushing off roofs and lampposts, thunder rumbling, and lightning flashing dramatically. Rockstar didn't say how often they'll happen or if they'll affect the story, but just knowing they exist is wild.

Now, about the map. Rockstar North co-studio head Aaron Garbut confirmed that GTA 6's map is twice as big as GTA 5's, with a huge emphasis on density. The setting is Leonida, a fictionalized Florida, and it's split into six unique regions: Vice City, Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, and Mount Kalaga National Park. Garbut said the team obsessed over every part—rooftops, alleys, interiors—to make buildings feel real inside and out. Ambrosia, for example, is a rural area with factories and refineries dominated by a biker gang that seems different from the Lost MC. And don't worry about getting overwhelmed: the story is designed to take you across the map, showing off the contrast between affluent and poorer areas.

Fast travel is getting a fresh twist. Instead of just hopping in a cab, you'll be able to call a ride-share car and zip around town. But here's the catch: it's ride-sharing, so you might have other passengers with you, leading to unique conversations. If you're not feeling chatty, you can doomscroll on Snapmatic, the game's parody of Instagram. Just don't expect to post anything yourself—Jason and Lucia are on the run, so being active on social media would be risky.

There's a boatload of side activities too. You can go base jumping, play billiards, hit the gym, kayak, play mini golf, scuba dive, race on streets or off-road, visit zoos, go air boating, or jet ski. And if you're an animal lover, you're in for a treat: over 170 species roam Leonida, including more than 60 birds, over 30 land mammals, and a variety of fish and reptiles. Rockstar's Michael Kane said they wanted to faithfully include Florida's diverse ecosystem across urban, rural, aquatic, and wetland habitats. Aquatic animals like sharks, jellyfish, whales, turtles, and rays will have distinct movement behaviors and can be seen while scuba diving. Hunting also seems to be returning, as one screenshot shows Jason approaching deer with a rifle.

With so much packed in, GTA 6 is shaping up to be Rockstar's most ambitious world yet. What part are you most hyped for—the hurricanes, the animals, or the ride-share chats? Let us know in the comments!