GTA 6 Leaked Gameplay: Chaos in a Knockoff Ranchero

In just over a week, Rockstar is set to unveil an extended preview of Grand Theft Auto VI through Netflix. But patience has never been a virtue among internet sleuths, and Tuesday afternoon delivered exactly what they were hunting for: two clips allegedly showcasing a leaked build of the game.

Each video runs just past the one-minute mark. If you’re wondering how tightly Rockstar keeps its grip on this project, consider this: between the moment I started drafting this piece and hitting publish, the original uploads had already been yanked via copyright claim. That alone says plenty about their authenticity. The clips were also marred with URLs, QR codes, and promotions for someone’s cryptocurrency, a level of clout-chasing that feels all too fitting for a GTA leak in 2026.

The first snippet features protagonist Jason enjoying some downtime at his waterfront property, tossing up a few jump shots on a basketball hoop. For those of us at The Drive, this footage is the less compelling of the two, though one detail stands out: sinking a basket earns Jason a “Focus” stat. Maybe GTA 6 will finally give players a reason to bother with the recreational side activities that many of us, myself included, blew right past in the previous installment. Time will tell.

The second clip is where things get interesting, even if the driving is brief and low-speed. Some have already started drawing sweeping conclusions about the vehicle physics from what’s shown, but let’s be honest: it’s a short, slow sequence. The player is ripping handbrake turns in a rusted-out 1970 Vapid Ganado, the Ranchero-style truck we’ve seen in earlier trailers. At one point, the pickup gets clipped by a mail truck and spins out. The delivery driver, apparently not one to let things slide, circles back and rams Jason again, abandoning his route for a fight he’s almost certainly going to lose.

As the scuffle wraps up and Jason walks away victorious, a mischievous devil-emoji icon pops up on the right side of the screen, hinting at some kind of honor or reputation system. And when he strolls past the truck’s bed to climb back in, options to tweak his loadout appear overhead.

In past GTA titles, players could haul around an absurd arsenal without a second thought. This time around, the game seems to be aiming for a more grounded approach. Small icons for the Ganado’s engine and fuel also appear over the mini-map once Jason settles back into the driver’s seat, suggesting that navigating Leonida will come with added mechanical considerations.

Based on these fragments, some are already speculating that GTA 6 is leaning into a slower, more methodical, and realistic style of play. I’m not ready to make that leap after two minutes of fairly tame gameplay. To my eye, it looked a lot like classic GTA 5, just with richer animations and noticeably improved lighting and shadows.

There’s also chatter that these captures date back to 2023, which would mean the final release could benefit from a significant visual upgrade. And the official footage Rockstar will show on Netflix is bound to look far sharper than this grainy stream, that much is certain.

Got a tip for us? Reach out at tips@thedrive.com.