It’s been over 11 years since gamers have had a chance to load up a new Grand Theft Auto game. GTA 5 took the world by storm when it launched, picking up plenty of critical acclaim and awards, and has become one of the best-selling games of all time.
Rockstar Games, the game’s developer, knows a thing or two about producing a quality video game, but the process of launching a game usually involves delays and information leaks. That can frustrate fans, who may struggle to distinguish speculation from fact.
As the Grand Theft Auto franchise looks to return to the fictional Vice City for the first time since Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in 2006, we’ve produced this guide—explore casino games found at Gambling.com alongside other resources—to let you know what’s been confirmed about GTA 6 and what speculation and leaks you can trust.
Confirmed GTA 6 Information
Let’s start with what we know about GTA 6. The game will take place in the fictional state of Leonida, based on Florida, and will include the aforementioned Vice City, where Grand Theft Auto: Vice City took place. That game was set in 1986 during a drug epidemic based on the 1980s crack epidemic.
GTA 6 will bring Vice City into the modern era, and the two GTA 6 trailers show social media and phones at the forefront of gameplay.
While Grand Theft Auto: Vice City saw players take control of one character, Tommy Vercetti, GTA 6 will follow GTA 5 and allow players to switch between main characters. There will be a female protagonist in Grand Theft Auto for the first time. Lucia Caminos will be an option alongside Jason Duval. The story will pick up as Lucia is released from prison, and she and Jason continue their romance alongside a life of crime.
Rockstar Games has also revealed several other key characters to the story, such as Bae-Luxe, Roxy, and Cal Hampton.
Rockstar Games has confirmed that GTA 6 will feature its biggest and most immersive open world yet, but it has not provided exact details or size. We do know a little about the content, with Vice City featuring areas called “Ocean Beach,” “Little Cuba,”“Tisha-Wocka flea market,” and “VC Port.”
Other confirmed areas of Leonida include the tropical archipelago of Leonida Keys, the swamp areas of Grassrivers, the low-income Port Gellhorn, the industrial Ambrosia, and the Mount Kalaga National Park.
Reliable Leaks on GTA 6
Considering GTA 6 was part of one of the biggest leaks in video game history, it’s no surprise that there are some pretty reliable leaks about gameplay and story. The major leak came in September 2022, when hackers from the Lapsus$ posted download links to early access gameplay footage, including locations, vehicles, and characters. It was all removed after Rockstar Games owner Take-Two Interactive issued takedown notices, but it gave fans a glimpse into the gameplay.
But that was three years ago, and we’ve had two trailers since then. Therefore, much of the information from the major confirmed leaks has already been confirmed or disproved.
Animals and Wildlife in GTA 6
Still, these leaks reveal some interesting gameplay features. For example, debug options included a fishing mechanic similar to Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2. Other debug options showed animal taming and horse options, which would both be firsts for GTA.
Animals also feature prominently in leaks. While the trailers confirmed alligators would be in the game, leaks also show raccoons, dogs, and boars, so the wild areas in GTA 6 could teem with life.
The trailer confirmed that those alligators mostly live in swamp areas like Grassrivers. In these areas, you can drive airboats, a new vehicle for GTA games, and potentially go scuba diving. Scuba diving may also be available in other areas of the map.
Skunk Ape, Sex Robots, and Other Strange GTA 6 Story Content
Other leaks relate to potential missions and story content, including mentions of sex robots, haunted warehouses, and a mummified lady. Story content also revolves around UFOs and the Skunk Ape, Grand Theft Auto’s answer to Bigfoot.
How much of this links to the main story missions and how much is side content remains to be seen, but Rockstar Games is known for developing beloved side missions, so fans will be excited to see where these lead.
New Gameplay in GTA 6
On the gameplay front, leaks show characters slinging weapons on their backs, which may end the infinite carrying capacity of characters in previous GTA games. In old games, you could pull a rocket launcher out of somewhere, and still have room for another ten weapons. Rockstar Games may abandon that system for a more realistic approach with GTA 6.
The weapon wheel in leaks also showed a gear and other items tab for the first time, which may allow players to use healing items or other gear during combat. Also, characters can go completely prone, which is a first for the GTA series.
It’s worth noting that this is all from reliable leaks, mostly from three years ago. How many of these features will make it into the final game remains to be seen.
Will Old Characters Return to GTA 6?
Rockstar Games has been careful not to blend characters from the 3D GTA games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto 3 with the HD GTA games like GTA 4 and GTA 5. These games exist in two different timelines. However, the GTA 6 second trailer seems to have broken that rule.
While Jason Duval is watching TV, he sees a commercial for Phil’s Ammu-Nation, which features a character very similar to Phil Cassidy, who is featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Not only would this break Rockstar Games’ established rule of not mixing characters, but the gun-toting character in the commercial had two arms, where Phil Cassidy famously only has one after losing one during the events of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Fans have speculated this could be Cassidy’s son or an easter egg, but it’s something to watch. Other than that, there is no indication that old characters will return. Protagonist Lucia is from Liberty City and served time in Liberty Penitentiary, with Liberty City the setting for GTA 4. So, while fans may hope for an appearance from the beloved characters from that game, it’s all speculation at the moment.
Connections to Vice City
Aside from taking place in the same city almost 40 years on, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City fans will be hoping for callbacks and easter eggs from the classic game. While we’ve discussed why it’s unlikely any characters appear from that game, Rockstar Games will likely fit a few easter eggs into the new release. Phil’s Ammu-Nation may just prove that.
Until the game launches, fans can only hope and speculate that GTA 6 will be the glorious return to Vice City everyone wants.
