GTA VI Will Overhaul One of the Franchise’s Most Iconic Mechanics and Not Everyone Is Thrilled

Grand Theft Auto VI offered the world its first extensive look last week, when Rockstar released a 25-minute gameplay trailer. The deep dive left fans awestruck by the game’s visual fidelity and fresh mechanics. But it also revealed that this game will also bring controversial changes.

While the full scope of Grand Theft Auto VI won’t be known until its official launch on November 19, 2026, a select few have already gone hands-on with the title. Their early impressions confirm that Rockstar is tweaking one of the series’ most enduring traditions.

For the First Time in 25 Years, GTA VI Is Rethinking Its Controls

Over the decades, Rockstar Games has consistently pushed industry boundaries, establishing benchmarks that countless studios have since adopted. Yet there is one area that competitors ignored: the control layout.

Longtime fans know that in GTA V and earlier entries, sprinting required repeatedly mashing the X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) button. When the series first transitioned to 3D, no universal standard existed, so the mechanic felt intuitive enough.

Today, however, it reads as a relic of a bygone era. That makes it all the more striking that Red Dead Redemption 2 released in 2018 still demanded the same button-mashing for sprinting. The choice was clearly intentional, preserved almost as a tradition.

Meanwhile, the broader gaming industry moved decisively toward a different solution which was mapping sprint to L3, the left analog stick. That configuration has become the norm across most AAA titles over the past decade, from Call of Duty to Assassin’s Creed to Battlefield

Now, for the first time in a quarter-century, Rockstar is taking a page from its rivals. Italian YouTuber MikeShowSha, one of a handful of streamers invited to the studio for an early preview, has confirmed that the developer is introducing major controller revisions.

According to the content creator, Grand Theft Auto VI reassigns sprint from X/A to L3, meaning players will now press the left stick to make protagonists Jason or Lucia break into a run. It remains unclear whether a single press will suffice or if holding the stick down will be required for sustained sprinting.

GTA VI’s New Control Change Divides Fans

Rockstar’s decision to modernize its control setup is hardly unprecedented as many legacy franchises, including Halo, have made similar adjustments in recent remakes to align with contemporary standards.

Some players argue the change is long overdue, noting that any game still relying on face buttons for sprinting feels jarringly outdated in 2026. Others, however, are mourning the old layout.

“X is much better than L3, this is ridiculous!” one frustrated fan posted on social media. “It’s a terrible change! Muscle memory instantly goes to hit X,” another lamented. Some players remain ambivalent but hope Rockstar will include customizable control options.

“I’m so used to pressing X. I really hope there’s a toggle to switch it back or remap buttons,” wrote a fan. “With Call of Duty and other shooters, using L3 for sprint can feel overly stiff, and it puts more wear on the stick, leading to drift over time.”

Rockstar has yet to officially address this change. Notably, this isn’t the only controller adjustment on the way. MikeShowSha also reports that the emergency brake in vehicles will now be mapped to X/A instead of RB/R1.

Do you prefer the classic control setup? Share your thoughts in the comments.