GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 with a massive lineup of side activities. Here are 7 classic mini games we want Rockstar to bring back in Leonida, from bowling to full casino experiences.
Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, marking the biggest release in Rockstar Games’ history. The second trailer, released alongside over 70 official screenshots, confirmed a staggering range of side activities: basketball, pool, mini golf, fishing, hunting, kayaking, scuba diving, dirt bike racing, and more. Yet some of the franchise’s most beloved mini games remain unconfirmed. Here are 7 mini games that absolutely need to make the cut in GTA 6.
Bowling: The Most Iconic GTA Mini Game of All Time
No mini game in GTA history carries more cultural weight than bowling. GTA IV turned a simple ten-pin session into a global meme thanks to Roman Bellic’s relentless phone calls: “Hey cousin! Want to go bowling?” The activity became so iconic that it essentially defined the game’s social system. Bowling is hugely popular in Florida, the real-world inspiration for GTA 6’s Leonida, where it serves as a classic air-conditioned social activity for families and friend groups escaping the heat.
Vice City bowling alleys would be a natural fit for the map. Rockstar could build on GTA IV’s straightforward mechanics with improved physics, multiple venues, and deeper NPC interactions. Given the social relationship systems hinted at in Trailer 2, bowling with Jason and Lucia’s contacts could add meaningful layers to gameplay beyond the main story.
Casino Games: Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, and Slots
Gambling has been a part of GTA since San Andreas, where players could lose hours at casino tables and Inside Track betting shops. GTA Online’s Diamond Casino & Resort update in 2019 expanded the concept dramatically with slot machines, roulette, blackjack, poker, a daily Lucky Wheel, VIP penthouses, and an entire mission storyline. It became one of the most content-packed updates in GTA Online’s history and brought millions of players back to the game.
Vice City’s neon-soaked luxury lifestyle makes a casino practically mandatory. Leaks and analyst speculation suggest GTA 6 could feature an even more immersive gambling experience, potentially including Texas Hold’em with player-to-player betting, craps, baccarat, video poker, and dynamic slot machines. Rockstar’s approach in Red Dead Redemption 2, where poker games happened in real-time within the world without loading screens, could serve as the template for a next-generation casino experience.
Multiple casinos across the map, each with a distinct atmosphere (a luxury resort, a shady underground club, perhaps even a yacht casino), would give Leonida incredible depth. Whether it appears in single-player, GTA Online, or both, casino content feels almost inevitable.
Pool: Confirmed and Ready for a Comeback
Pool appeared in GTA San Andreas and GTA IV but was mysteriously absent from GTA V. The good news: it is confirmed for GTA 6. Official screenshots released alongside Trailer 2 show Jason playing pool with his companion Cal in a bar setting. GTABase lists pool among the verified side missions and mini games.
In GTA IV, pool sessions doubled as social bonding opportunities, complete with witty banter and trash talk between characters. Rockstar could push this further in GTA 6 with refined physics, multiple game types (8-ball, 9-ball, straight pool), and integration into both story mode and online multiplayer. The bar atmosphere hinted at in the screenshots suggests pool could be one of several pub activities alongside darts and drinking.
Golf and Mini Golf: Country Club Leisure Meets Tropical Fun
GTA V’s Los Santos Golf Club was widely praised as one of the best sports mini games in any open-world title, offering nine challenging holes with full club selection and realistic putting mechanics. For GTA 6, Rockstar appears to be pivoting to mini golf: official screenshots show Cal posing on a mini-golf course, and GTABase lists mini golf as a confirmed activity.
Whether a full-scale golf course also exists in Leonida remains unknown. Given the state’s tropical resort setting, both options would fit perfectly. Mini golf is likely to be more casual and accessible, making it a strong candidate for GTA Online sessions with friends. The competitive potential of a well-designed putt-putt course in Leonida’s beachside setting could make it one of the game’s most popular casual diversions.
Darts: A Simple Pleasure That Deserves Another Round
Darts in GTA IV was a small but satisfying mini game. It served as a quick distraction between missions and a way to build social relationships with characters. Despite its simplicity, many players found darts more addictive than some of the bigger activities. It did not return in GTA V, which left a gap in the pub-game lineup.
The bar scenes in GTA 6’s Trailer 2 strongly suggest that pub-style activities will feature prominently. If pool is confirmed in these environments, darts feels like a natural companion. Rockstar could expand the format with different game modes (501, Cricket, Around the Clock) and online leaderboards. For a mini game that requires minimal development resources but delivers reliable fun, darts is an easy win.
Triathlons and Multi-Stage Races: Explore Leonida at Full Speed
GTA V’s triathlons brilliantly combined swimming, cycling, and running into single events that showcased the game’s diverse traversal systems. With GTA 6 confirming dirt bike racing, street races, off-road events, and kayaking among its activities, the foundation for multi-stage race events is already in place.
Leonida’s diverse geography, spanning swamps, coastline, mountainous terrain at Mount Kalaga, and dense urban streets, creates a perfect playground for complex racing formats. Imagine a triathlon that starts with a jet ski sprint through the Everglades-style waterways, transitions to a dirt bike leg through the national park, and finishes with a street race into Vice City. The confirmed presence of boats, kayaks, dirt bikes, and street vehicles suggests Rockstar has the tools to deliver this.
Dynamic Body Changes and Gym Workouts
GTA San Andreas introduced one of the franchise’s most memorable mechanics: the ability to physically transform CJ through exercise and diet. Players could bulk up at the gym, increase stamina on the treadmill, or make CJ overweight with a junk food diet. This dynamic system created a personal connection between player and character that no other GTA game has fully replicated.
GTA 6 appears to bring this feature back. Trailer 2 clearly shows Jason lifting weights on a beach, and GTABase confirms gym/working out as a verified activity. The community is eager to see how Rockstar implements this for both Jason and Lucia. If character physique dynamically changes based on gameplay choices, diet, and exercise habits, it would push GTA 6 closer to a genuine life-simulation experience than any previous entry in the series.
What Else Has Been Confirmed So Far?
Beyond the mini games on this wishlist, GTA 6’s confirmed side activity roster is already substantial. Analysis from Red Bull, GameSpot, and GTABase identifies the following verified or strongly hinted activities from Trailer 2 and official screenshots: basketball (returning from San Andreas), boxing/MMA cage fighting, fishing, hunting in Mount Kalaga National Park, kayaking, scuba diving, tennis, mini golf, pool, dirt bike racing, street racing, off-road races, gym workouts, dancing, nightclubs, strip clubs, drinking, convenience store robberies, watching TV, playing video games, amusement parks, car meets, boat meets, and boat customisation.
Rockstar Games is clearly aiming for a life-simulator level of depth in Leonida. Every previous GTA title has raised the bar for side content, and the sheer volume of activities visible in just one trailer suggests GTA 6 will surpass everything that came before.
Questions Players Keep Asking About GTA 6 Mini Games
When does GTA 6 come out? Rockstar Games has officially confirmed the release date as November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. A PC version has not yet been announced.
How many mini games will GTA 6 have? Over 12 side activities and mini games have already been confirmed or strongly hinted at through trailers and screenshots. Based on Rockstar’s track record, the final count at launch is expected to be significantly higher, with additional content likely arriving through GTA Online updates.
Will GTA 6 have a casino? No official confirmation yet, but the Diamond Casino’s success in GTA Online, Vice City’s thematic fit, and multiple leaks all point strongly toward casino content being included in some form.
Is bowling confirmed for GTA 6? Bowling has not been officially confirmed, but it remains one of the most requested features among the community. Florida’s bowling culture and the franchise’s history with the activity make it a strong candidate.
Can you change your body in GTA 6? Yes. Trailer 2 footage and confirmed activity lists indicate that gym workouts and dynamic body changes will return, allowing players to shape Jason and Lucia’s physique through gameplay.
For the latest GTA 6 updates and analysis leading up to launch, check out the GamerMarkt GTA 6 news hub. If you want to level up your GTA 5 Online experience while you wait, browse verified listings on the GamerMarkt GTA 5 Online account marketplace.
