Latest GTA Online Update Hints At Possible Features for GTA 6

GTA Online's A Safehouse in the Hills content update last week added long-awaited features to the game, including luxury mansions.

For many players, the update is just a standard content drop for Rockstar's multiplayer title which is still played by an active community. However, other fans believe that the recent updates also serve as a testing ground for features for the upcoming GTA 6.

GTA Online Update Possibly Tests Features For GTA 6

According to growing fan speculation, the newly released DLC appears to quietly test ideas and mechanics that could resurface in GTA 6, which remains one of the most anticipated video game launches in recent memory, other than the rumoured Half-Life Xen.

The update, which introduces high-end mansions as endgame properties, brings with it a handful of features that feel notably more experimental than Rockstar's usual GTA Online additions, Comic Book argues.

At the top of the novelty features added is the long-requested inclusion of pets. Players can now own dogs or cats inside their mansions, name them, and interact with them in limited ways.

Players are wondering why the simple feature was added only now, when GTA Online is already over 12 years old. The feature is shallow right now as pets cannot leave the property and serve largely as decorative companions.

Despite these, players are hopeful that pets will play a bigger role in the next game. There hasn't been any form of animal companions in the franchise to date.

This aligns with Rockstar's recent design philosophy. Red Dead Redemption 2 placed heavy emphasis on realism and routine, from caring for horses to maintaining camp life.

Many fans believe GTA 6 will build on this simulation-driven approach, potentially expanding pets into fully fledged companions that require care or even accompany players during free-roam exploration.

Beyond pets, the mansion update also highlights Rockstar's continued interest in player expression and progression.

Trophy rooms, vaults that visually reflect accumulated wealth, and display spaces for vehicles and achievements point towards a future where properties act as personalised hubs rather than static interiors.

These elements are basic in GTA online but could be far more dynamic in a new-generation title built specifically for current hardware.

That said, not all aspects of the update is good in the eyes of players. Persistent loading screens between interiors, limited interactivity with new activities such as workouts, and heavily instanced properties suggest that GTA Online is still constrained by its ageing foundations.

There are also hints of Rockstar experimenting with satire-driven technology systems. The inclusion of AI assistants and rudimentary self-driving vehicles in the new DLC feels particularly real, mirroring real-world tech trends that GTA has historically been quick to parody. While these systems are currently underwhelming, they may be early sketches of more advanced mechanics planned for GTA 6.

As spotted by players on Reddit, Rockstar has been likely testing new features in the last couple of updates for the game. Aside from the ones in Safehouse in the Hills, Rockstar also released a fast-travel feature early this year which would be helpful for GTA 6, considering that the map is expectedly larger.

Rockstar has yet to confirm whether any of these features will carry over into GTA 6, either in single-player or online form. However, with the studio maintaining near-total silence on concrete details, fans are left to scrutinise every GTA Online update for clues.

GTA 6 is currently scheduled to launch on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Until then, GTA Online may continue to serve as Rockstar's testing ground so we might see more feature-filled updates in the future.