The Wildest Thing in the Latest (Surprise), "Grand Theft Auto VI," Trailer? A Non-Toxic Relationship

"Grand Theft Auto VI," was delayed. Rockstar (the developer) announced it, and not many folks were surprised but it did hurt the stock of Take-Two (the publisher). However, the surprise release of the second official trailer for the game got everyone excited and helped the stock bounce back. Everying in the trailer is apparently in-game (via a PlayStation 5) and a chunk of footage is from gameplay, with some from cinema scenes. We know the protagonists are named Jason and Lucia, and some people think they look a bit boring. That said, the craziest thing to me in the trailer was not any cool explosion or how impressively a piece of clothing shimmered (although there are plenty of things going, "Boom," and outfits that look shiny). No, the fact that Jason and Lucia seem happy shocked me and others.

A happy couple on a date...in, "GTA?"

In the, "Grand Theft Auto," Universe, all relationships seem horrible. Nobody is happy and people just want money, sex, fame, or a mix of the three. Jason and Lucia look like they may be criminals and toxic people, but their relationship actually seems... wholesome? It appears he is eager to greet her when she is released from jail. They make out and have sex (of course), but also just relax and cuddle. They hold hands and seem to legitimately care about each other as human beings. That's surprising for, "Grand Theft Auto."

Joyful cuddling? In, "GTA," of all places?

Rockstar's games set in the, "Red Dead Redemption," theme feature more nuanced relationships, but in, "GTA," a relationship that is, "Mature," usually just means cursing and bumping uglies. An, "Adult," relationship where people actually act like adults seems shocking and shows some growth in the franchise. I'm sure there will be plenty of silly jokes, lots of violence, and the occasional clever insight about the, "The American Dream," through the skewed view, "GTA," has always presented it. I'm just especially intrigued by the idea of two protagonists who support, love, and care about each other unconditionally. Come May 26th, 2026, we'll be able to learn a lot more about Jason and Lucia--then we can see if RockStar nails the subtleties of a grown-folk relationship or struggles with it.