GTA 6 Weapons: What We Know, What We Want, What We'll Probably Get

What’s In the Arsenal?

Honestly, we don’t know much. Rockstar’s been pretty tight with the weapon reveals, which tracks — they’ve always treated combat as secondary to world-building in their marketing. But from what’s visible in trailers and leaked screenshots, I’ve been able to identify a handful of weapons, and they tell an interesting story.

Confirmed (Or Close to It)

Pistols. At least two distinct handgun models are visible. One appears to be a compact semi-auto — something like a Glock-style polymer frame. The other is bulkier, possibly a 1911-style. The animations on both show proper slide cycling and recoil that actually moves the shooter’s hands. In GTA V, firing a pistol felt like pointing a loud flashlight. This looks like firing a pistol.

Assault rifles. There’s an AR-style rifle in a couple of shots. Looks like a generic M4/AR-15 pattern with optics mounted. Nothing unusual for GTA, but the weapon modeling is noticeably more detailed — you can see individual components on the rail system.

Shotgun. Brief glimpse of what appears to be a pump-action shotgun during an action sequence. Can’t tell much beyond that.

What might be a baseball bat. Melee weapon spotted in one frame. Could also be a pipe or similar blunt object. Hard to tell.

That’s… pretty much it for confirmed sightings. Which is frustrating.

What I Expect

Based on GTA tradition and the modern Vice City setting:

• A full handgun tier: compact, full-size, revolver, maybe a machine pistol
• SMGs for the drive-by crowd
• Multiple assault rifle variants
• At least two shotguns (pump and semi-auto)
• Sniper rifle, obviously
• RPG or similar explosive launcher
• Grenades, molotovs, probably pipe bombs
• A melee selection: bats, knives, golf clubs, machete (it’s Florida, come on)

What I want but probably won’t get: a bow (RDR2 did it so well), non-lethal options like tasers or bean bag rounds, and throwable objects like bricks or bottles. RDR2 let you throw knives and tomahawks. Bring that energy to modern combat.

The Feel of Shooting

This matters more than the weapon list. GTA V’s gunplay was fine — serviceable, functional, got the job done. But going back to it after playing games like RDR2 or even third-person shooters from other studios, it feels floaty. The guns don’t have weight. The aiming feels disconnected from the character’s body.

From the brief combat footage in GTA 6, it looks like they’ve addressed this. Character animations during shooting show actual weight transfer — leaning into the recoil, adjusting stance. The camera seems to respond to gunfire differently too, with a subtle shake that makes each shot feel impactful.

…which, okay, maybe I’m overthinking this based on like four seconds of footage. But those four seconds look meaningfully different from GTA V’s combat, and that’s encouraging.

Dual Wielding

There’s a shot — and this one got the community excited — where a character appears to be holding two pistols. Classic dual-wield. GTA San Andreas had it, GTA V dropped it, and if it’s back in GTA 6, that’s a fun addition even if it’s not tactically optimal.

Actually, wait — looking at it again, one hand might be holding something else. A phone? A door handle? The resolution makes it ambiguous. But I’m choosing to believe it’s dual pistols because I want to believe.

Customization Hopes

GTA V had a weapon customization system. It was basic — suppressors, scopes, extended mags, flashlights, different colors. Functional but not exciting.

If GTA 6 ships with the same level of customization, I’ll be disappointed. Modern shooters have raised the bar. I want barrel swaps, different stocks, grip options, optic variety, maybe even caliber changes. I want my weapon to feel like mine, not just a default gun with a suppressor bolted on.

Will we get this? My gut says no. Rockstar’s focus is on the world and story, not on being a gun simulator. But even a modest improvement over GTA V’s system would be welcome.

The Thing Nobody Talks About

Gun audio. GTA V’s guns sounded weak. Tinny. Like they were recorded in a closet. If there’s one thing I want improved above all else, it’s the sound of gunfire. A loud, echoing pistol shot that bounces off building walls. A shotgun blast that makes you flinch. Audio design sells the fantasy of these weapons more than any model or animation.

RDR2’s gun audio was excellent. The revolvers cracked. The rifles boomed. If that team handled GTA 6’s weapon audio, we’re in good shape.