Will NPCs Carry Guns in GTA 6? What We’ve Seen So Far

After the incredibly reactive and realistic NPCs in Red Dead Redemption 2, all eyes were on GTA 6 to see how Rockstar would evolve the behavior of the inhabitants players will encounter throughout its world. With a more grounded approach to its world and interactions, Rockstar has significantly updated how NPCs behave for GTA 6. But does that extend to NPCs carrying firearms as well? Here’s what we know.

Will NPCs Carry Guns in GTA 6?

Yes, some NPCs will carry weapons in GTA 6.

The confirmation comes directly from IGN’s preview coverage, where they reported that some NPCs in the game world will carry weapons. This doesn’t mean that all NPCs will be armed, however. NPCs will also react differently when Jason and Lucia pull out a weapon, with some cowering or fleeing while others may pull out their own weapons and threaten you and escalate the situation. Some NPCs will even try to disarm you to stop you in your tracks.

Rob Nelson, Head of Development and Co-Studio Head at Rockstar North, explained that Rockstar wanted to move away from the feeling that GTA protagonists were essentially all-powerful, giving NPCs more of a chance to hold their own when they’re the type to do so.

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I think in previous GTA games you were a bit all-powerful… You were the only one with an invisible arsenal hidden away. Apart from the police, everyone would run in terror from you if you started acting out. This world in GTA 6 is not like that.

Rob Nelson, Head of Development and Co-Studio Head at Rockstar North

Taunting NPCs can also provoke them into attacking, much like in Red Dead Redemption 2, while altercations can attract other civilians to the scene. The crowd can react in a wide range of ways, making encounters with NPCs much less predictable. We’ve also seen several hunters and poachers openly carrying and brandishing weapons.

During the GTA 6 Extended Look, we saw multiple store owners pull out weapons and directly engage Jason and Lucia to defend their stores during a robbery. Some were a bit more helpless, though, and simply took a beating from them instead.

That should make encounters a lot more unpredictable, as you won’t always know who might be carrying a weapon.