Switching between Lucia and Jason, the two main characters in GTA 6, will work similarly to previous Rockstar titles, according to Rockstar North co-studio head and head of development Rob Nelson in a recent interview with Famitsu.
Much like GTA 5, which allowed players to switch between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor outside certain missions, switching between Lucia and Jason in GTA 6 will depend on story progression and the requirements of individual missions.
“Sometimes [switching between Lucia and Jason] is limited by story progression,” Nelson said. “During the story, there are times where you can’t switch from one character for some reason. There are some missions where you are free to switch as much as you want, but there are some sections where we want you to experience it from a certain character’s perspective, like GTA 5, so we limit switching.”
Nelson explained that the design philosophy is influenced both by where a mission takes place within the fictional state of Leonida and which character makes the most sense for a particular situation. As an example, he cited an early mission set in a high-rise apartment complex that Rockstar ultimately decided was better suited to Jason than Lucia.
“There is a mission that takes place in a high-rise apartment complex where you used to be able to switch freely between characters,” Nelson explained. “However, as ex-special forces, we thought it would be a more natural fit for Jason to be in control, so we decided to set the character. The mission is early in the game, so we thought it would be unnatural for Lucia to lead and give instructions as the two navigate the area.”
At the other end of the spectrum, some missions will specifically require switching between Lucia and Jason as part of their design.
“There are some operations where you’re forced to switch characters,” he added. “In the trailer, we showed a mission where they left a bank robbery and drove away in a car. At first you control Jason firing at the police vehicles from inside the car, while Lucia is driving. Then, during the mission you switch characters, and this time the player is driving the car as Lucia, while Jason and Raul continue to fire at the cops from the back seat.”
Lucia and Jason in the GTA 6 trailer/Rockstar
There will also be portions of GTA 6 where switching between Lucia and Jason can be done freely, giving players more control over which protagonist they want to play as.
“There are missions that are designed in this way, then, like the mission at the end of the trailer where they are under attack, there are times when you can freely alternate switching between Jason and Lucia,” Nelson added.
Do you agree with Rockstar’s usual design philosophy, with certain missions prohibiting switching between Lucia and Jason in GTA 6? Which character do you think you’ll enjoy playing as most?
Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to release on November 19, 2026 for the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login