GTA Online's remarkable new mission creator feels like a glimpse at what's to come in GTA 6

We still don't know exactly how GTA 6 will shake things up when it comes to the GTA Online experience, but we've had some early clues. The biggest is Rockstar's acquisition of FiveM, the biggest Grand Theft Auto roleplaying community - a bigger, more integrated focus on the RP side of things seems inevitable for the new game. The mission creator tool that just went live with the latest GTA Online update is yet another breadcrumb. This feels to me like the biggest, most public warm-up for GTA 6's multiplayer component so far, and you can start messing around with it right now.

Colloquially referred to for months as the 'mansions update,' A Safehouse in the Hills has finally landed in GTA Online. It's only been out a few hours as I write this, and naturally, everyone's distracted by the three, luxurious new GTA Online mansions you can buy and all the benefits that come with them. The new quest line also sees GTA 5 protagonist Michael return, and I wonder if a reunion with the entire trio could be on the cards in a final swansong update next year, now that we know the GTA 6 release date won't drop until November.

While all that new content is excellent and the ideal salve for those still stinging from GTA 6's most recent delay, the mission creator is by far the biggest addition - something that elevates one of the best sandbox games even further. Clearly leaning on the RP expertise Rockstar's picked up, GTA Online finally has its own in-house toolkit that'll let you make custom experiences in Los Santos that go beyond vehicle races.

There's an extensive array of options, letting you choose spawn points, place objective markers, direct up to 50 'actors' which can be programmed with different behaviors, add vehicles and pickups, set the time of day and music you want for your bespoke mission, and so much more.

Interestingly, doors to certain interiors can also be locked and unlocked as part of your custom missions, and that includes some areas of GTA Online you can't get into legitimately while free-roaming. As was highlighted by 'videotech' on X, the Pacific Standard bank vault door is one such asset that you can now unlock and open using the mission creator tools.

Here's a clip below on editing doors. I'm really pleased how powerful this tool is!

This is going to unleash a whole new possibility of insane creations from the Rockstar community. pic.twitter.com/EM54MGL9eC

- ben (@videotechuk_) December 10, 2025

You can also shoot and direct your own cutscenes, which can be triggered after completing certain objectives or reaching location markers.

As part of the update, Rockstar has also released five example missions that it's built using these tools, showing you what's possible and helping you get to grips with the new tools. While it'll probably take a few days for the first flurry of community missions to emerge, I'll be keeping a very close eye out to see what folks cook up and how far the new mission creator can be pushed.

This is a huge undertaking from Rockstar, and one that feels to me like a rehearsal run for a similar system in GTA 6 Online. Having something like this available very soon after GTA 6 launches will be invaluable in its efforts to bring the roleplaying community more under its control, and by dropping it into GTA 5 now, it can test and iterate features while also spotting opportunities to add new functionality. Maybe it won't be GTA 6 straight away, but I'll eat every hat in my possession if it doesn't get this kind of mission creator within a year or so of launching. Make no mistake, this is your first glimpse into the next era of GTA Online.