There are a lot of good ideas that Grand Theft Auto 6 could pick up by taking inspiration from one of Grand Theft Auto Online's mission types. Considering how much content is in GTA Online, it feels inevitable that at least some aspects from it will be recycled into Grand Theft Auto 6. Some of the best ideas came in the form of the game's various missions, which have only grown as more expansions have come out for the game. One specific branch of missions would not only work, it could easily fit into the game's story.
While there have been some boring missions in Grand Theft Auto games, they are thankfully not the norm. Most of the missions that players come by in the series lead the player into some sort of exciting scenario. While big gunfights and car chases are to be expected in a series with the reputation that Grand Theft Auto has built, subtler missions like races and stealth missions are fun as well. Grand Theft Auto may focus a lot on its edgy and satirical writing, but that isn't the core of the game. The GTA series would be nothing without exciting and entertaining missions design.
GTA Online's Security Contracts Could be a Base for GTA 6's Mission Design
A solid inspiration for GTA 6 would be the Security Contract missions from Grand Theft Auto Online's The Contract update. Security Contracts are missions that the player receives from GTA 5 protagonist Franklin, who has moved into the security business. The missions have a variety of goals, from protecting a client's property to taking on gangsters with a vendetta against the client. Players are rewarded handsomely for their efforts, with payouts ranging from $30,000 to $70,000 depending on the difficulty of the mission. A Grand Theft Auto Online player that takes on a lot of Security Contracts can find themselves quickly swimming in money.
The way that Grand Theft Auto Online handles Security Contracts is notable, because it could bring about a solid new concept for Grand Theft Auto 6. Story missions in GTA titles only take place once aside from manual replays, since the plot obviously moves on after them. Instituting a system similar to Security Contracts would give the player a source of missions that could make sure that there was always something productive to do in GTA 6's presumred setting of Vice City, even beyond the usual selection of side activities. If anything, it's surprising that Grand Theft Auto hasn't already embraced quests like tihs in single-player gameplay.
In addition to giving the player a chance to make some extra money on the side, there could be a pretty good in-story explanation for such missions. Franklin in Grand Theft Auto Online will tell the player that they need to do smaller contracts in order to land big clients. Grand Theft Auto 6 could follow the same method, only with a more distinctly criminal bent. By taking contracts for smaller jobs, the protagonists could build their reputation in Vice City as well as their bank accounts. That could be the perfect springboard to launch them into the main plot and deal with Vice City's heavy hitters.
Security Contracts are a good idea that is thriving in Grand Theft Auto Online, and they could be easily repurposed in Grand Theft Auto 6 to similar effect. Grand Theft Auto 6's criminal story already has a known twist in the form of its two protagonists, but what adventure they will get into in Vice City has still yet to be seen. With missions inspired by Security Contracts, the player could experience their rise while they become an established part of the underworld. Grand Theft Auto 6's mission structure could end up owing a lot to GTA Online by taking one of its better ideas.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.