GTA 6's Relationship Mechanic Is 'Cheating' on Your Real-Life Partner and Break Up Worthy, According to Angry Spouses

A swath of angry spouses on social media believe that Grand Theft Auto 6's in-depth relationship mechanic is equivalent to cheating on your real-life partner and worth breaking up over.

Last week, we got a boatload of details on Grand Theft Auto 6 thanks to media previews and an extended look at the game from Rockstar itself . One of the big takeaways from this media blitz is that there is an actual relationship between the game's two protagonists , Jason and Lucia, that players can nurture. You can take the other character on dates, do crimes together, text them, and even hold hands (aw!). For some people, though, that last detail causing tensions in their real life relationships.

Over on TikTok, a variety of concerned partners stated that wouldn't allow their partner to play the game, and a concerning amount of comments on these posts echoed this sentiment.

"In absolutely no human way is my fiancé playing GTA 6," said one TikToker . "You literally have to maintain a relationship with a girl [in] the video game and text her, and she'll get mad if you don't text her back. You have to take her on dates and you can have [sex] with her. [...] Don't let your boyfriend or fiancé or husband play GTA 6."

Other TikTok creators outright labeled playing the game as cheating.

@el.michelle3 The whole relationship and yk what else ♬ life goes on - lucie

This has become a major subject of discourse on social media since the GTA 6 extended look went live on August 27. Some are pushing back on the idea, arguing that it's simply a video game and not that deep. Others have also pointed out that millions of people have played The Sims for years, having virtual sex and creating entire families without anyone raising an eyebrow.

Rockstar has also been very clear that you don't actually have to engage with this part of GTA 6 if you don't want to . The two characters want a relationship at the start of the game, but it's up to the player to actively pursue that. If you don't, they won't be as head-over-heels for each other, but will still have each other's backs when it matters most. If you do choose to make the two a power couple, you'll likely get more mileage out of the game, though.

"When you bring them together, it feels like you’re a steward of their relationship, and you feel protective of them as a unit," said Rockstar North co-studio head, Rob Nelson, in an exclusive interview with IGN. "But this is something we did not know when we started, and it really had to be something we felt our way through. But I will say that whether you’re getting in trouble, or you’re running from the cops, or getting in a car, or waiting for the other one — playing as them together feels very cool. It feels like you’re taking care of them, if that’s something you’re into."

Rockstar has yet to confirm if you can have sex with the two characters outside of scripted story moments. The trailers certainly imply there will be sexual scenes between the two, but whether you can actively initiate that by building the relationship meter is unclear. IGN broached the subject with Nelson, who noted that physical intimacy is a notable part of a relationship and that Rockstar is trying to figure out how to implement that side of things into the game in a way that feels right.

“For anybody that wants to play around with the idea of role playing their relationship, it's amazing," said Nelson. "So many people on the team have connected with the characters. But physical intimacy is a huge part of a relationship, and so it has to be done right. Like anything that we do, we have to iterate and try things and iterate on it until we figure out what feels right."

GTA 4 allowed you to develop relationships which would lead to Niko being invited for intercourse, but it was never explicitly shown. On a more controversal note, Rockstar Games developed an interactive sex mini-game in 2005's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It was eventually cut from the game to avoid an Adults Only rating, which would've prevented Rockstar from being able to sell the game at most major retailers. However, the files remained in the game and modders were able to add it back in. This led to major issues for Rockstar, including legal battles, a recall of existing copies of the game, and scrutiny from the government. As a result, you probably shouldn't expect any interactive sex mini-games in GTA 6.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.