Red Dead 2 collectibles and what they hint about GTA 6

Why look at Red Dead 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most recent big open world Rockstar released before GTA VI. It's a different series with a very different setting, but it's the closest look we have at how the studio has been handling collectibles lately.

What it had

Red Dead 2's collectibles included:

• 30 dinosaur bones
• 20 dreamcatchers
• 10 rock carvings
• 144 cigarette cards, organized as 12 sets of 12

That's a wide range of sizes, from a short hunt of 10 to a long one of 144.

What it might hint at

Everything in this section is a guess. Rockstar has not announced any collectibles for GTA VI.

Sets, not just totals. The cigarette cards came in 12 sets of 12, so you finished small groups on the way to the full collection. That structure makes a long hunt feel manageable, because you're always close to finishing something. If GTA VI has anything similar, our trading cards category is ready for it.

Collectibles that fit the world. Dinosaur bones and rock carvings suited a game about wide open land. A game set in Leonida, with Vice City in it, might pick themes that suit a modern state just as closely. Whatever they turn out to be, mystery items catches anything that doesn't fit our existing categories.

A mix of hunt sizes. Red Dead 2 had hunts as small as 10 and as large as 144. GTA V mixed sizes too, from 15 knife flights to 50 spaceship parts. A similar spread in GTA VI wouldn't be surprising.

What it doesn't tell us

Red Dead and Grand Theft Auto are separate series, and collectibles that made sense in one won't necessarily appear in the other. GTA VI is a modern-day game, and its collectibles, if it has any, could look nothing like Red Dead 2's. We're using Red Dead as a hint about Rockstar's habits, not as a prediction.

Lessons worth carrying over

Whatever GTA VI includes, a few things from long hunts in earlier games are worth remembering:

1. Track sets separately. If a category is split into sets, keep track set by set. It's easier to see what's left.
2. Don't burn out on the biggest one. The largest category always takes the longest. Mix it with shorter ones so the run doesn't drag.
3. Write down partial finds. If something only makes sense once you've collected several pieces, note where each piece came from.
4. Expect some to be tied to progress. Long hunts often include items you can't reach until later. Note them and move on.

How we'll handle it here

There are no locations on the map before GTA VI launches on 19 November 2026. After release, markers will be labelled rumoured, reported or verified, depending on how sure we are. If GTA VI turns out to have set-based collectibles, we'll organize the category around those sets.

Your progress across every category shows up on the checklist. If you spot something in GTA VI that reminds you of a Red Dead collectible, post it on the Finds board of the forum with a map link.