Video games: Grand Theft Auto VI vs. Starfield 2

Quick Verdict

Grand Theft Auto VI and Starfield 2 are both highly anticipated open-world games with distinct settings and gameplay focuses. GTA VI promises a dynamic and unpredictable experience in a modern, grounded setting, while Starfield 2 offers a vast space exploration adventure. The choice between them depends on player preference for setting, gameplay style, and multiplayer options.

Grand Theft Auto VI focuses on a dynamic and unpredictable open world in a fictionalized Florida, with extensive character customization and potential modding support.
Starfield 2 offers a vast space-themed open world with over a thousand planets, single-player focus, and planned official modding support.
GTA VI emphasizes a fluid integration of story with the open-world environment, while Starfield 2 focuses on intricate faction systems and branching storylines.
GTA VI's performance is likely to target 30 fps on consoles, while Starfield 2 is known to be a demanding game requiring powerful hardware.

Key features – Side-by-Side

Attribute	Grand Theft Auto VI	Starfield 2
Game Title	Grand Theft Auto VI	Starfield 2
Release Date	May 26, 2026 (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), PC release likely later that year	Currently unknown, speculated for Spring 2026
Game Engine	Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), enhanced version with potential procedural object generation	Creation Engine 2
Setting/World Design	Fictional US state of Leonida, based on Florida. Includes Vice City, Grassrivers, Leonida Keys, Ambrosia, Mount Kalaga National Park, and Port Gellhorn. Open world designed to be unpredictable and dynamically responsive	Space-themed open world in the Milky Way galaxy with over a thousand planets
Character Customization Options	Physical appearance (facial features, skin tone, body type, fitness, hair, facial hair), clothing (wide variety, potential for licensed brands, custom design), personality and skills (influencing NPC interactions), tattoos, jewelry, and accessories	Appearance customization via Biometric ID, Body, and Face tabs; Body type, walk style, skin tone, head shape, hair, eye color, and facial features adjustable; Background selection for starting skills and unique dialogue
Story/Narrative Quality	Follows the romantic criminal duo of Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos	Player joins space explorers to acquire mysterious artifacts
Open World Activities & Content	Returning activities (golf, dice, races), new activities (fishing, scuba diving, cage fighting, hunting), more enterable buildings, van shipments, robberies, deliveries, mountain drifting, kayaking, amusement parks	Quests triggered by events on planets
Graphics and Visual Fidelity	Advanced rendering techniques, real-time ray tracing, ultra-high-resolution textures, realistic character models, improved motion capture, dynamic lighting and reflections, realistic particle effects and water physics	Uses cube map reflections
Multiplayer/Online Features	Rumored to get official modding support, potential for user-generated content	Single-player only, no multiplayer or co-op modes
Modding Support	Rockstar acquired Cfx.re, looking for employees related to user-generated content, potential mod store in GTA+, modding may be restricted	Planned official support in 2024, community mods already available
Combat Mechanics	Dual inventories for Lucia and Jason, rob/threaten/shoot/restrain NPCs, surrender option, varied NPC height/weight, ragdoll physics, attack wildlife	First and third-person perspectives, hip fire and aim down sights, running, jumping, crouching, sliding, grenades, melee, zero-gravity combat
Mission Structure & Variety	Could include over 100 main missions, plus side missions, dynamic events, optional objectives, multi-character missions, choices that change the mission, character-switching mechanic	Variation due to different planets
Performance and Optimization	Likely to target 30 fps on consoles, potential for higher frame rates on PC, PS5 Pro may be the only console capable of running at 60 fps, may offer different graphics settings	Demanding game, performance adjustable via graphics settings and mods
Price	Not available	Not available
Ratings	Not available	Not available

Overall Comparison

Grand Theft Auto VI: Larger map than GTA V, potential for over 100 main missions. Starfield 2: Over a thousand planets, single-player only.

Pros and Cons

Grand Theft Auto VI

Pros:

Larger map than GTA V with more freedom and depth
Unpredictable open world with dynamic events
Extensive character customization options
Potential for official modding support
New gameplay mechanics like crouching and going prone
Fluid integration of story with open-world environment
Variety of side activities and emergent gameplay opportunities

Cons:

Likely to target 30 fps on consoles initially
Melee combat remains underdeveloped
Modding may be restricted to approved tools

Starfield 2

Pros:

Ambitious in scope with over a thousand planets
Fluid and dynamic combat
New gameplay mechanics like zero-gravity and ship combat
Multiple character customization options
Intricate faction systems and branching storylines
Planned official modding support

Cons:

Release date is currently unknown
Graphics use cube map reflections to varying degrees of success
Demanding game requiring powerful hardware
Strictly single-player RPG with no co-op or online play

User Experiences and Feedback

Grand Theft Auto VI

What Users Love

The map will be larger than GTA V's Los Santos, offering more freedom and depth for exploration.
The world is designed to be unpredictable, offering a landscape where unexpected events can occur, enhancing the realism and excitement of the gameplay.
GTA 6 aims to respond fluidly to player actions, creating a "human-like city".
The open world offers many ways in which the player can get money themselves, either in side missions or freely discovered.
Players can modify their character's physical attributes in remarkable detail, and shape their characters' personalities which could influence interactions with NPCs.

Common Complaints

No major complaints reported.

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

User Recommendations

GTA 6 aims to respond fluidly to player actions, creating a "human-like city".

Starfield 2

What Users Love

Combat is fluid and slick
Some of the best gunplay in a Bethesda title
Scale of the galaxy benefits from being experienced without external interference

Common Complaints

Can be a demanding game requiring relatively powerful hardware

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

User Recommendations

Starfield's combat is more fluid, and the animations are more dynamic.
The scale of the galaxy, the intricate faction systems, and the branching storylines all benefit from being experienced without external interference.
Starfield's combat is fluid, slick, and some of the best gunplay in a Bethesda title.
When the mods are ready, you will be able to do almost anything as we have done in the past.