- Grand Theft Auto 6 's romance between Jason and Lucia is completely optional, Rockstar confirms
- Rob Nelson, the head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, says if players aren't into it, "don’t bother with it"
- He says players will need to nurture their relationship if they want it to be romantic
Rockstar Games has confirmed that the romance between Grand Theft Auto 6's co-protagonists, Jason and Lucia, is completely optional.
Speaking in an interview with IGN ahead of the Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look, Rob Nelson, the head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, revealed that Jason and Lucia's relationship will be central to the story, but whether the player chooses to nurture their romance is completely up to them, and they won't be penalized for avoiding it.
"I have to say it feels great — if you are into it as a concept. Don’t bother with it if you aren’t. Up to you," said Nelson.
"The narrative is structured in such a way that the circumstances they find themselves in require them to stay together for most of the story and work together. At the very least, they will get through most things as partners in crime."
Nelson avoided talking spoilers, but he said the duo's relationship "adds a compelling element to things."
"It’s one of the reasons we wanted to approach this sort of story, because it's completely different for us," he said. "Could we bring some sort of emotional resonance to GTA for people if they wanted to engage with it? Could we also provide mechanisms for people to just opt out of it if they're not into it? If they feel like, 'I don't want a relationship in this?' That's what we're going to find out. It's not something that we want to foist upon players."
If players do want to make Jason and Lucia's romantic relationship flourish, however, they'll have to spend time nurturing it by spending time together in Leonida. Whether that's taking trips, holding hands, walking on the beach, or doing crime together, these activities will build up their bond.
"When you bring them together, it feels like you’re a steward of their relationship, and you feel protective of them as a unit," Nelson continued. "But this is something we did not know when we started, and it really had to be something we felt our way through.
"But I will say that whether you’re getting in trouble, or you’re running from the cops, or getting in a car, or waiting for the other one — playing as them together feels very cool. It feels like you’re taking care of them, if that’s something you’re into."
Last night's gameplay showcase was filled with a mountain of new details, with a new report later confirming the game will launch at 30fps. To catch you up, here are the 16 things we learned from GTA 6's extended look ahead of the game's November 19 launch.
