Could GTA 6 Be A Better Car-Customization Game Than Need For Speed?

"Grand Theft Auto 6" is the most ambitious game that Rockstar has ever developed. Even though the "GTA 6" multiplayer will be missing in action at launch, fans are still ready to sink hundreds of hours into Rockstar's latest masterpiece. The new game is so massive and filled with side activities that it's practically half a dozen video games rolled into one. "GTA 6" is an action game, a cinematic narrative game, a relationship simulator, and a fully functional racing game all at the same time. It's the last one that looks like it's about to receive a big boost in focus.

Cars have always been a major detail in "GTA" games, but "GTA 6" is going above and beyond with its car mechanics. The "GTA 6" extended look on Netflix showed us how added security measures on certain cars will make hijacking a more fraught experience than it's ever been before. Once players have secured some wheels, the new game provides them with a dizzying array of customization options to make the vehicle their own. Rockstar has added so many small details to the "GTA 6" car system that dedicated racing game players might even be tempted to set aside "Need for Speed" to cruise the streets of Vice City in style.

"Need for Speed" is one of the most beloved racing franchises of all time. Players turn to "Need for Speed" games when they want a streamlined racing experience, a deep roster of vehicles to choose from, and a slew of options to tune a car to their preferences. When we started seeing the customization features Rockstar put into "GTA 6," we quickly thought that the new game could end up giving "Need for Speed" a run for its money.

Car races are one of the many side activities Rockstar has confirmed for "GTA 6." With racing being a major focus, it shouldn't be surprising that the developers invested in elaborate car mechanics for the game. Players will be able to take their vehicles to shops that offer upgrades for engines, brakes, suspensions, transmissions, and other performance-centric features. With enough money, players will be able to make their cars outrace everything in the state of Leonida. That's a lot for a game that technically isn't a racing title, like "Need for Speed" is.

Cars in "GTA" games are also a major way players explore the map while expressing their own style. In past "GTA" games players would spend countless hours searching for the perfect car, but "GTA 6" is going to take that process further. In addition to performance upgrades, players will also be able to customize car bodies, wheels, paint jobs, and even interiors. With all the cosmetics the game will have on offer, "GTA 6" could end up being a better car customization game than any "Need for Speed" we've played yet. Emphasis on could, because there's a potential drawback in the wings, and it's way up there with the various microtransaction nibbles racing gamers already face.

Fans are beyond excited to finally get their hands on "GTA 6" for a lot reasons, but one will be to trick out their own car that they'll use to cruise. The new game looks like it will have the most engaging car-customization system in "GTA" history, but some fans are worried that the best customization features will end up locked behind a paywall — something "Need for Speed" players fought against with the 2017 release.

The "GTA 6" Ultimate Edition costs $100 and comes with exclusive in-game content. Some of those bonuses are what gamers have come to expect from new game add-ons, like weapons, cars, and cosmetics. The upgraded version of "GTA 6" also comes with access to a handful of exclusive in-game stores, including the only car-customization shops confirmed to be in the game at the time of this writing. Rideout Customs and One-Eyed Willie's offer a range of cosmetic and performance upgrades for vehicles, but those offers are currently only valid for gamers with the "GTA 6" Ultimate Edition.

Fans have been debating the merits of the Ultimate Edition online ever since it was announced, and many complain that the bonus content seems so central to the game that Ultimate Edition upgrade is really a mandatory purchase. Unless Rockstar drops even more car-customization details before the game launches on November 19 (or at least confirms that customization shops will be available to non-Ultimate players), fans will just have to play "GTA 6" for themselves to see if the standard edition customization options are enough to be satisfying. "Need for Speed" and its current trend of cosmetic DLC doesn't have to panic about a contender yet, but the franchise should keep an eye on their rear view mirror.