Potential GTA 6 leak indicates that Rockstar Games is overhauling the NPCs in a big way

In the gaming world, there is hype, and then there is the hype surrounding GTA 6, which grows with each passing day and to a wholly absurd degree.

It is undoubtedly one of the most hotly anticipated games of all time and is bound to be accompanied by fanfare and escalate into a proper global event upon launch.

GTA 6, till this point, has been shrouded in mystery, with not so much as a peep from Rockstar Games. An investigation into the studio's work culture resulted in a massive information dump that included hot keywords being thrown around, such as "Project AMERICAS."

Yet, there hasn't been anything solid from Rockstar's end regarding GTA 6. But now, it seems like a patent filed by Take-Two from October 2020 points to it being a major system for GTA 6.

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GTA 6 leak suggests Rockstar is overhauling the NPCs in a big way

A patent filed by Take-Two points to smarter NPCs in GTA 6

The patent, which was filed in October of 2020, was recently discovered by GTA fans on Reddit (the post has since been removed). GamesRadar has been able to break down the many jargons and complexities from the patent.

The patent specifically focuses on how the NPCs interact with the game world and focuses on providing the most realistic experience possible. In the patent, Take-Two remarks on the current state of tech available in the games as "deficient."

All this talk of NPCs and interacting with a game world to provide an immersive experience points to it being a system for a GTA game. The tech focuses on improving AI behavior in a way that their movements and decisions made within the game are informed by the player.

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What does it mean for GTA 6?

The patent suggests that the tech would enable NPCs to define their own characteristic and behaviors while interacting with the game world.

An example put forward by GamesRadar is when an NPC driving a sports car would behave more recklessly and accelerate harder than a regular NPC engaged in their daily routine.

Another pointed to AI behavior being informed by the player's actions, such as NPCs avoiding a part of the city due to a high-speed police chase or a shootout. More often than not, players will find themselves caught in a gunfight in the middle of the city in a GTA game. Therefore, NPCs reacting to those events is a major step in the right direction.

All of it in tandem would, according to the patent's own words, help in "creating a realistic virtual world that is not limited by hardware and software limitations."

The patent has been filed by Take-Two, and the invention of the tech has been credited to David Hynd (Associate Director of Technology at Rockstar Games) and Simon Parr (Lead AI and Gameplay Programmer at Rockstar).