Grand Theft Auto VI is reportedly changing one of Rockstar’s longest-running control conventions by moving sprinting to L3 on PlayStation instead of requiring players to repeatedly tap X. The detail comes from Italian creator MikeShowSha, who recently attended a GTA 6 presentation at Rockstar North and discussed the controls after seeing the game demonstrated in person.
MikeShowSha said clicking the left analog stick is used to sprint in GTA 6, bringing the control closer to the layout found in many modern third-person and first-person games. His comments have since been picked up by several outlets covering the latest round of GTA 6 previews. Rockstar has not published a complete controller layout, however, so details such as whether L3 toggles sprinting or must be held down remain unclear.
The change removes a control method strongly associated with Rockstar’s games. In GTA V, players using the standard PlayStation layout can repeatedly tap X to make their character sprint, with movement speed tied in part to how the button is used. Red Dead Redemption 2 also relies heavily on face-button inputs for faster movement, making repeated tapping a familiar part of Rockstar’s character controls.
According to MikeShowSha, movement in GTA 6 also felt more fluid than in Red Dead Redemption 2. That assessment is subjective rather than an official technical description from Rockstar, but it adds context to why the studio may have altered the sprint input. Moving the action to L3 also leaves the player’s right thumb freer to control the camera while running instead of repeatedly moving between the face buttons and right analog stick.
The revised control scheme appears to affect other actions as well. Reports based on the same preview indicate that the X button is used as the emergency brake while driving, while vehicle combat has been expanded to allow more flexible firing from cars. Rockstar has shown extensive driving and shooting sequences in its recent GTA 6 footage, but it has not yet released a full breakdown explaining every controller input.
There is also no confirmation yet that the classic Rockstar control layout will remain available as an alternative. Some modern games allow players to choose between several controller presets or remap individual actions, but Rockstar has not detailed GTA 6’s accessibility or controller customization settings. The current information therefore establishes the default sprint input seen during the preview rather than every possible configuration players may have at launch.
Although changing a sprint button is a relatively small gameplay detail, it affects an action players will use constantly while exploring GTA 6’s open world. Rockstar’s repeated-button sprinting has survived through multiple Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead releases, making the move toward a conventional thumbstick click a noticeable departure from the studio’s established design habits.
The information emerged from a wider series of creator previews held at Rockstar North, where selected attendees were shown an extended demonstration controlled by Rockstar North co-studio head and Head of Development Rob Nelson. Those sessions have produced additional details about GTA 6’s combat, character systems, police mechanics, transportation and open-world activities beyond what Rockstar included in its public Extended Look.
Because many of those smaller details were recalled by attendees after their demonstrations, they should be distinguished from features Rockstar has directly explained through its own materials. The L3 sprint input has nevertheless been specifically reported by an attendee who saw the game at Rockstar’s studio, making it considerably stronger than an unverified leak or social-media rumor.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Unless Rockstar changes the control scheme before release or provides alternative presets, players using the standard PlayStation layout should no longer need to repeatedly tap X every time Jason or Lucia breaks into a sprint.
