GTA 6 Hidden Side Missions: Will It Copy RDR2?

Will GTA 6 have hidden side missions and random encounters like Red Dead Redemption 2? Rockstar hasn't detailed anything like that for the base story yet, but it has already confirmed exploration-driven bonus commissions for the GTA VI Ultimate Edition — and a recent r/GTA6 thread shows just how badly fans want the full game to go further.

Will GTA 6 Have Hidden Side Missions Like RDR2?

Not confirmed, but there's a real hint. Rockstar has revealed two Ultimate Edition bonus commissions that reward players for exploring Leonida with unique, story-optional payoffs. Whether that same design philosophy carries into hidden, stumble-upon-it content in the base game hasn't been detailed, but the groundwork is clearly there.

What Are Fans Hoping For?

According to a recent r/GTA6 thread, one of the community's biggest hopes is that GTA 6 is packed with hidden encounters and mission chains that reward players simply for exploring off the beaten path, instead of everything being flagged on the map from the start. Rockstar hasn't responded to the post, and it's worth being clear: this is an unverified fan wish, not a leak or a confirmed feature.

What Rockstar Has Already Confirmed

The clearest evidence so far comes from the Ultimate Edition's bonus content. In the Classic Car Collection commission, Jason and Lucia track down and restore abandoned project cars scattered around the map, while the PTT Youngin$ Illegal Goods Store sends them to raid a gang compound for special loot. Neither is framed as a hidden, chance encounter, but both are optional, exploration-driven jobs layered on top of the main story — a real hint that Rockstar already builds this kind of content into GTA 6.

Why Red Dead Redemption 2 Sets the Bar

Fans keep pointing to Red Dead Redemption 2 for a reason. ScreenRant has argued that RDR2's Stranger missions work because they're tucked "hidden in plain sight" into the frontier setting, compared with GTA 5's roughly 60 stranger missions, which it calls quicker and less memorable by comparison. Rockstar itself has described GTA 6's setting as "the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet" — exactly the kind of dense, detailed world that could support the side content fans are asking for. It's not the only RDR2-inspired idea fans have floated, either — see our look at GTA 6's hogtie mechanic rumors for another example.

What This Means For Players

If you're hoping to stumble across hidden strangers, secret mission chains, or exploration rewards in GTA 6, Rockstar has already shown it's comfortable designing that kind of content — just not confirmed yet for the base story, and not necessarily as extensively as fans want. None of this is official confirmation of a hidden-encounter system; it's context for a hope, not a leak.

So, what's the one hidden encounter or mission chain you'd want GTA 6 to surprise you with? Tell us below.