Rockstar Games released a new Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer on November 10 featuring a backflip animation that looks smoother than the one shown in the August Extended Look trailer. The earlier backflip drew criticism online for appearing awkward, though some players defended it.
The improved animation has led some to suggest Rockstar responded to player feedback. However, the distinction may matter more than the improvement itself. The backflip animation in GTA 6 is player-controlled and not locked to a single animation. Reddit users have speculated that the character performing the backflip in the new trailer is an NPC rather than a player character, which could mean the animation was motion-captured instead of player-controlled, explaining why it appears less janky.
The backflip discussion reflects how closely players are scrutinizing GTA 6 ahead of its release. GTA 6 launches November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Preloading is live now. The game unlocks at midnight local time on November 19, meaning US players will be among the last in the world to access it.