Jealousy over pixels: GTA 6’s ‘romantic’ features spark an online scandal

The highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI — scheduled for November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S — has triggered an unexpected real-life controversy. Girlfriends, fiancées and wives around the world are reportedly threatening to boycott the game, arguing that virtual romances with its female protagonist, Lucia, amount to real-life cheating.

“It’s cheating”: Why are women turning against GTA 6?

The social media panic was fueled by gameplay details and trailers hinting at a deeper romantic element in the game. At the heart of the story are criminal partners Jason Duval and the bold, glamorous Lucia.

But some women have been outraged by rumors and demonstrations of optional relationship mechanics. Players may reportedly have to maintain a relationship with Lucia — replying to her messages or risk making her angry, taking her on dates and potentially becoming intimate with her.

Videos calling for “banning boyfriends from playing GTA 6” have racked up millions of views.

A fiancée named Shelby Haas declared: “My fiancé is absolutely not going to play GTA 6 after I found out that you have to romance some girl, text her and take her on dates. Absolutely not. Don’t let your men play this.”

Her fiancé, Alex Eubanks, was subsequently forced to publicly admit that, for the sake of keeping his partner happy, he would have to give up the game.

Twenty-six-year-old legal analyst Anuska Iqra posted a viral video declaring: “It’s cheating if he has a girlfriend in GTA 6.”

She later explained in an interview that playing the game normally is perfectly fine — but if a partner starts romanticizing and sexualizing a pixelated character more than their real-life partner, that crosses a line.

What do the developers — and other women — say?

Rockstar developers, for their part, have stressed that the romantic storyline is merely an optional addition for players who enjoy role-playing and can be completely ignored.

Development head Rob Nelson noted that physical intimacy is important in relationships, but it is not required to complete the game.

And not all women have joined the “witch hunt.” Many female gamers have sharply criticized the jealous partners, dismissing their demands as ridiculous.

“It’s a damn video game and a fictional world, wake up! If your boyfriend treats the game better than he treats you, the problem is in your relationship — not in the pixels,” one TikTok user fired back.