Rockstar Games broadcast the first gameplay footage of Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27, triggering server outages across streaming platforms Netflix and Twitch.
The presentation aired on Netflix at 22:00 Moscow time, featuring roughly 27 minutes of footage recorded on Sony's PlayStation 5 console running at 30 frames per second.
A massive influx of simultaneous viewers trying to watch the video on Netflix led to technical failures, with affected users receiving a notification stating that something went wrong.
Platform access collapsed on Twitch as well after Rockstar permitted content creators to re-stream the gameplay video. More than 26,000 users logged complaints regarding Twitch access problems within a 30-minute window.
Rockstar Games is an American video game publisher known for open-world franchises, while Netflix and Amazon-owned Twitch are major global video streaming platforms.
Setting and character mechanics
The newly revealed video confirms that Grand Theft Auto VI is set in the fictional state of Leonida, which encompasses Vice City, a location previously featured in earlier titles in the series.
Players will control two protagonists, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, with the ability to switch between them during gameplay. The character not actively controlled by the player takes an active role and provides assistance rather than functioning as simple background scenery.
According to the storyline details shown in the presentation, Duval and Caminos become entangled in a sweeping criminal conspiracy after participating in a heist that goes wrong.
Activities and updated gameplay mechanics
In addition to narrative scenes, the preview showcased open-world side activities available to players, including basketball, boxing, diving, and racing.
Rockstar has also redesigned several long-standing series mechanics for the new title. Stealing a vehicle now requires players to complete a mini-game, a requirement that was absent from previous releases in the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026.
