Rockstar experimented with a grocery-shopping routine to restock the fridge in Grand Theft Auto VI, also known as GTA VI, but simplified the idea because it complicated the game's systems. The example was shared with Japanese gaming publication Famitsu by Rob Nelson, co-head of Rockstar North, the Rockstar Games studio developing the game.

In another interview, published by LOVE magazine on October 5, 2026, Nelson discussed how the team balances realism and convenience for the player. The conversation explored how these details relate to immersion—the feeling of being involved in the world, characters, and narrative.

“Realism can help a lot with immersion, but too much of it can be tedious,” Nelson told LOVE, according to a translation of his remarks from English. For the developer, player convenience also guides decisions about which realistic details to include.

In the interview with Famitsu, conducted after a demonstration of the game, Nelson explained that the tested system allowed players to buy food, take it home, and restock the fridge, according to a third-party translation of the conversation. He did not explain how the idea changed after being simplified.

Nelson's interviews are available at https://lovemagazine.net/articles/gta-vi-the-american-dream and https://www.famitsu.com/article/202608/85753; the third-party translation is available at https://www.gtavice.net/news/gta-6-famitsus-full-rob-nelson-interview-translated-into-english.

Grand Theft Auto VI is Rockstar Games' next game and is set in Leonida, a fictional state inspired by Florida. It is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Sony's console, and Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S consoles.