For years,Grand Theft Autohas been pushing the boundaries of open-world gaming, and after the announcement ofGrand Theft Auto 6, gamers are ready to see how Rockstar will innovate once again. If recent reports are to be believed, the upcoming game may be somewhat different in tone, and it will likely be taking gamers back to Vice City. This may be good news to gamers who are fans of the city, but it may be disappointing to gamers who were hopingGrand Theft Auto 6would visit multiple cities, perhaps even on different continents.
Although the thought ofGrand Theft Auto 6featuring multiple locations is enticing, it may be best for the game to remain in a single location.Rockstar Gameshas shown that it needs lots of time to develop polished games, and having multiple cities could mean gamers will be left waiting many, many more years. Furthermore, Vice City oozes personality, and if designed correctly, it is more than enough on its own.
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Grand Theft Auto 6 Leaks
There have been leaks and rumors surroundingGrand Theft Auto 6for years, but Rockstar only confirmed that thenextGTAgamewas in development in 2022. A recent report from Bloomberg offered more details surrounding the game’s development, and while the information is not official, journalist Jason Schreier’s track record does lend it credibility. According to the leak,Grand Theft Auto 6has been in development in some form since 2014, and gamers should expect a title that is vastly different from prior games, as Rockstar has changed during that time.
Developers will attempt to not “punch down” by making jokes that target marginalized groups. Furthermore, the game will feature the franchise’s first female protagonist. She will be a Latina that is one-half of a couple inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, though there was no mention of whether multiple protagonists will make a return. The leak also claimed that Rockstar initially intended to feature an enormous map containing both South America and North America. This lends credence to earlier leaks claiming thatGTA 6’s codename wasProject Americasand that it would feature Vice City and South American locations.
Ultimately, it seems Rockstar has chosen to focus on Miami, which suggests that gamers will be returning toVice City inGTA 6- though, according to Bloomberg, Rockstar has plans to continually update the game. There will be many gamers who will be upset about the possibility that the nextGrand Theft Autogame will be limited to a single city. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. By keeping its sights on a single location, Rockstar has the chance to ensure it focuses on quality instead of quantity.
The Benefits of Sticking to a Single City
The usual line of thought is that bigger is better, but this may not be true when it comes to open-world games, and there are countless examples of games that are jaw-droppingly huge but boring to explore because the scenery is bland and there is not much to do. On the other hand, games can have relatively small open worlds to explore yet still feel infinitely engaging thanks to their depth and detail.Grand Theft Auto 5’s mapis relatively big, especially for a game released in 2013, but it is still contained to one city. The game has managed to endure for close to a decade in part thanks to the sheer amount of detail and content Rockstar shoved into Los Santos, and players have been uncovering all the game’s secrets for years, whether they be the inner workings of the Epsilon Program cult or the mysteries of Mount Chiliad.
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GTA 6could recreate this with its map, making its rendition of Miami rich in content and realism. If the open world has a distinct design and is filled with memorable characters, exciting locations to explore, fun missions, and side activities to engage in, few gamers will be left wishing they had another city to visit. It is also worth considering how long Rockstar takes to develop games.GTA 6’s developmenthas already been extraordinarily long if the leak is true, and it has been in development since 2014. The addition of more cities would likely add extra years to the game’s development time, andGTA 6has already been testing gamers' patience. Keeping things at a realistic size is probably the best choice to ensure that the game is released in the next few years.
Vice City Is More than Enough
Gamers were introduced to Vice City throughGrand Theft Auto: Vice City, which was released in 2002. The city, like Miami, is located in Florida, and it was depicted with a distinct aesthetic featuring neon lights, Hawaiian shirts, disco music, and Mafia drug lords. As players explore the streets lined with palm trees and embark on Tommy Vercetti’s rags-to-riches journey, it is easy to recognize the influence of other media which depicts 80s Miami, includingScarfaceandMiami Vice. Gamers fell in love with Vice City, and they got to visit it again inGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
Past games have proven that Vice City has more than enough character to carry a game on its own. With current generation hardware, Rockstar can develop the best rendition of it yet. According to the Bloomberg report, gamers can still expect a large world, and it will feature more interior locations than ever, which should make the city even more immersive. Furthermore, the claim thatRockstar intends to continually update the gamewith new missions and cities suggests that gamers may, at some point, leave Vice City. Even if they do not, however, Vice City on its own will likely not disappoint.
Though Bloomberg is credible, the leaks have yet to be confirmed by Rockstar, so they should be taken with a grain of salt. Gamers who were hoping for a game that spans multiple cities should not keep their hopes up, but this is not a bad thing, as Vice City is one ofGrand Theft Auto’s most exciting locations. HavingRockstar focus on this single cityinstead of spreading itself thin gives it the best chance to craft the best product.
Grand Theft Auto 6is currently in development.
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