Grand Theft Auto 6 looked like it was a shoo-in for the best visuals in gaming, but with the recent release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Rockstar Games has some strong competition. While Grand Theft Auto 6 won't be in the hands of gamers until 2026, its in-engine trailers have given fans a great look at the modern-day Vice City, its characters, vehicles, and more. But Hideo Kojima's latest title may have just trumped the next Grand Theft Auto game before it's even out.
Death Stranding 2 has already cemented itself as a potential Game of the Year contender, receiving rave reviews from both players and critics. While some believe it has the best graphics in gaming, it's not the only reason why the highly anticipated sequel is being so heavily praised. As of writing, Death Stranding 2 reviews have earned the title a comfortable Metacritic score of 90, making it one of the highest-rated games of the year so far, alongside the likes of Blue Prince, Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and more. Critics have praised the game's updated combat, thrilling story, and, of course, its drop-dead gorgeous world.
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There's no denying that Grand Theft Auto 6's graphics are something to behold, but Death Stranding 2 looks to be giving 2026's most anticipated title a run for its money. In a new post on Reddit, fans are debating whether or not Kojima's latest title has better visuals than Rockstar Games' upcoming release. The main image being used for this debate is a comparison between Jason, one of Grand Theft Auto 6's two main protagonists, and Sam Porter Bridges, who is, of course, portrayed by The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus. While Grand Theft Auto 6 is indeed stunning, the visual fidelity of Norman Reedus' face is incredible, and most fans seem to agree.
GTA 6 Fans Blown Away by Death Stranding 2's Visuals
Reddit user Relative_Molasses_15 said, "Honestly, Death Stranding 2 character models look better. They look more real," while anti2matter also agrees, saying, "I don't think [Grand Theft Auto 6] will look better than [Death Stranding 2]. Maybe once it releases on PC with higher fidelity details." However, plenty of other users pointed out that the comparison between Death Stranding 2's graphics and Grand Theft Auto 6's isn't necessarily fair. The latter of the two games will have a much denser open-world, filled with accessible buildings, tons of vehicles, NPCs, and more, whereas Death Stranding 2's world (although incredibly beautiful) is much more barren. With much less to render, it's no surprise that Kojima's smash hit sequel has such incredible visuals.
It's also worth noting that there's still just under a year to go before Grand Theft Auto 6 releases on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, which means its ongoing development could result in further improvements to the game's graphics. Fans have already noticed a huge difference between Grand Theft Auto 6's first and second trailers, so another year of development time could make all the difference.
The highly anticipated title was initially set to launch in Fall 2025, but Rockstar shared some disappointing news earlier this year when it confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 had been delayed to allow the studio extra time to work on the title. It will now launch on May 26, 2026.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- November 19, 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
