How the experiment went

The experiment took place on June 24 in Kiruna, Sweden. An iPhone was lifted into the stratosphere using a balloon, then dropped without a parachute. During the descent, the device was in extreme conditions for about 25 minutes, where the temperature dropped to approximately −60 °C.

After the fall, the smartphone had to be searched for more than five hours. When the team discovered it in a remote area, the device was found to be practically undamaged. It was possible to turn it on, make calls, and take photos.

Protective case

The main role in the experiment was played by the RHINOSHIELD AirX protective case. It uses an air suspension system and a multi-layered construction that help dissipate impact energy and reduce stress on the smartphone. RHINOSHIELD states that when creating the case, it was inspired by materials and technologies used in the automotive industry and sports footwear for shock absorption.

The Guinness Book of Records officially registered the achievement as the highest fall of a mobile phone in a protective case onto a natural surface. The record pertains specifically to the combination of a smartphone and its case, not to the iPhone 17 Pro alone.

Despite the loud headlines about a “fall from space,” technically this is not the case. The smartphone was dropped from a height of more than 30 km, while the conventional boundary of space, the Karman line, is located at approximately 100 km altitude.

All material is recorded directly on the PlayStation 5. At the same time, Rockstar did not turn the presentation into a traditional gameplay breakdown with developer commentary. Instead, the studio showed a long sequence of gameplay scenes, cutscenes, and short montage episodes that follow one another with virtually no noticeable transitions. A full 26-minute video can be found in our Telegram channel.

• The player will have a dog – it can be petted, scolded, and trained;
• Police reworked: six wanted stars will be returned, cops will take into account witnesses, clothing, and the car;
• To escape, one must get rid of evidence, change clothes, and switch transportation;
• The game will maintain a criminal profile, logging robberies, murders, accidents, and other crimes;
• In GTA VI, over 600 thousand animations are claimed, compared to approximately 55 thousand in GTA V;
• NPC will come alive thanks to contextual dialogues and reactions: someone will respond calmly, while another will jump into a fight;
• Car theft will become a mini-game of hacking, and car dealerships will become interactive;
• The heroes’ relationships will develop: dates, billiards, restaurants, walks, correspondence, and joint robberies;
• Character physics have been improved, including the movement of soft body parts;
• The tone of the game combines the seriousness RDR 2 and the signature satire GTA;
• The staff is approximately twice the size of the world RDR 2;
• 30 FPS are listed for PS5, and 40 FPS for PS5 Pro.

The first major mission and a shootout with the police

Show GTA 6 starts almost immediately with gameplay. Jason and Lucia arrive to pick up goods for Bubba Ike and enter the building where a drug lab is located. A routine meeting quickly escalates into a shootout after an armed police unit appears.

At this moment, the player controls Jason, while Lucia acts nearby under AI control. Heroes move through rooms together, cover each other, and continue talking during combat.

Rockstar has revealed an updated cover system, pistol and shotgun shooting mechanics, hit physics, and slow-motion frames after certain kills. In certain scenes, Jason can also briefly slow down time, reminiscent of the Dead Eye mechanic from Red Dead Redemption and the shootouts in Max Payne 3.

During this same sequence, Jason can pet the dog. After interaction, an angel icon appears on the screen, but Rockstar has not yet explained its purpose.

Car theft has become more complex

In GTA V, pressing a single button was enough to steal most cars. In GTA VI Rockstar, additional actions were added.

In Extended Look, Jason breaks a car window and completes a short QTE before gaining access to the vehicle. Judging by the shown episode, some vehicles will now have to be practically hacked, although it is not yet known whether this mechanic will apply to all transport.

Jason and Lucia are indeed living together

After the first shootout, Rockstar shows a calmer part of the game. Jason and Lucia are at home and getting ready for a party. Jason walks around the apartment, checks the refrigerator, and watches television while Lucia changes clothes.

Television will once again become part of the satirical universe GTA. The video features fictional advertisements for medicines and food.

Great attention is paid to the relationships between the main characters. They joke, argue, hold hands, and discuss joint matters. This is noticeably different from GTA V, where the interaction of the three protagonists was primarily centered around crimes.

Switching between heroes has become more flexible

The character switching mechanic from GTA V returns, but now it is more tightly integrated directly into the gameplay.

In one episode, Lucia jumps from a height with a parachute, after which the game almost instantly switches to Jason, who at that moment is sitting on the couch at home.

Switching works even when both heroes are nearby. Rockstar previously confirmed that a player can, for example, drive as Jason, then switch to Lucia in the passenger seat and use a smartphone. During a chase, the roles of driver and shooter can be swapped using the same method.

Robberies, chases, and working for criminal authorities

A significant part of Extended Look is dedicated to the crimes of Jason and Lucia. Heroes rob gas stations and stores, participate in armed clashes, and carry out assignments for more influential criminals.

At the party, they meet smuggler Brian Hader, who offers them to switch from petty crimes to more serious work.

Later, the pair is linked to Raul Bautista. In one of the missions, Lucia drives the car while Jason shoots at the pursuing police cars and helicopter.

After escaping the pursuit, the characters burn the used car and switch to another vehicle. At the same time, the interface shows that the police are still continuing their search. This indicates a more extended manhunt system, where it is no longer sufficient to simply disappear from the patrol’s line of sight.

Another task is related to Andreas de Leon. Jason and Lucia work as bodyguards and accompany him to an event in a skyscraper. It all ends quickly with an attack by an armed group.

In this mission, Lucia is left without weapons and must fight in close combat. In one scene, she uses a high-heeled shoe as a weapon.

Classes in the open world

Rockstar has revealed a vast number of additional activities that are not directly tied to the main story missions.

• gym workouts;
• basketball;
• street and car races;
• riding motorcycles and scooters;
• jet skiing;
• kayaking;
• travel by hovercraft through swamps;
• underwater diving;
• parachuting and BASE jumping;
• shooting at targets;
• visiting nightclubs and strip clubs;
• using public transportation.

In one of the short episodes, NPC also appears with a VR headset. Another character is broadcasting a live stream of what is happening around them.

Social networks will become part of the gaming world

The smartphone plays a significantly more important role than in GTA V. In the video, messages appear over the gameplay, and some characters record the events and stream them.

Rockstar separately confirmed the presence of full social feeds within the game. Through them, you will be able to follow the events of Leonida and individual characters. For example, the development of the musical duo Real Dimez will be reflected in viral posts.

In one scene, Jason and Lucia kidnap a person who continues to broadcast the events live.

White City at night

Extended Look for the first time shows Night City in gameplay in detail. The frame shows clubs filled with people, skyscrapers, bars, streets with heavy traffic, and a large amount of artificial lighting.

Reflections are especially noticeable on cars and glass surfaces, indoor lighting, and transitions between dark interiors and bright streets.

The game features a full day-night cycle, so the same areas change noticeably depending on the time of day.

The bodies of Jason and Lucia will change

At the same time as the presentation, Rockstar revealed additional details about GTA VI in an interview with Dazed.

The appearance modification system from GTA: San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption 2 will return in an expanded version. Overeating will affect Jason and Lucia’s weight, while exercise will allow a noticeable increase in muscle mass.

Even lifestyle will be reflected in the characters’ appearance. A few days of almost no sleep, long chases, or extended parties can change the hero’s face and overall condition.

NPC will react more strongly to the player’s actions

Rockstar wants to make Leonid more reactive than the cities from previous GTA. For example, if you simply walk down the street with a rifle in your hands, passersby may already notice this.

To create the population, developers have prepared new character generation tools. NPC will differ in age, build, clothing, tattoos, piercings, and even plastic surgery.

A separate Rockstar division in Los Angeles is almost exclusively dedicated to creating pedestrians and their behavior. The development team for GTA VI as a whole is more than twice the size of the team that worked on Red Dead Redemption 2.

For greater authenticity, Rockstar recruited over 50 real street artists to create graffiti. Professional racers are also working on car behavior.

The player’s decisions will have consequences

Rockstar also hinted at a deeper consequence system. Player choices can affect not only the surrounding world but also the relationship between Jason and Lucia.

Developers compare their history to Bonnie and Clyde and emphasize that the characters are not completely empty avatars. At the same time, the player will be able to spend time together or engage in their own activities separately for each character.

How much the solutions will change the plot and ending, Rockstar has not yet revealed.

What Rockstar has not yet revealed

Despite the length of the presentation, several key questions remain unanswered.

Rockstar did not reveal details about GTA Online, did not announce a PC version, and did not show a full breakdown of the interface or map.

Also, the company has not yet officially named the frame rate GTA VI for PS5 or PS5 Pro. It has only been confirmed that Extended Look was recorded on PlayStation 5. Therefore, claims that have appeared online about specific modes of 30 or 40 FPS should not yet be considered official game specifications.

Grand Theft Auto VI releases on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The first six hours of Extended Look are available only to Netflix subscribers, after which the same 26-minute clip will be released for free on the Rockstar Games YouTube channel and the official GTA VI website.