Where is GTA 6 set and what are the GTA 6 map locations? We’re back, baby: Vice City – the playground of the rich and a true cesspit of indulgence is now confirmed to be the location of GTA 6. Not only that, but the GTA 6 trailer that dropped was packed full of tidbits and information about the city and its surroundings.
While the GTA 6 release date might be quite a way away, the trailer has more than enough to tease and keep us going through to launch. The location of the open-world game was the subject of much debate for years, but we now have confirmation, and it’s not exactly a massive surprise. Here’s everything that we know about the GTA 6 map.
Where is GTA 6 set?
GTA 6 is set in Vice City, the previous focus of GTA: Vice City. It’s Miami-adjacent and is full of neon lights, bumping nightclubs, and terrible people. We can see from the trailer that the aesthetic remains, with an added layer of grime – biker gangs, swampy outskirts, and swathes of mud.
The trailer shows the crowded beaches of Vice City, filled with scantily-clad beachgoers and avid joggers checking they’re on pace to beat their PB. It’s a lot more crowded than anything else we’ve seen from a Grand Theft Auto game – something that the rest of the areas have in common.
We also get a look at the main strip of Vice City, the possible hub of GTA 6. The strip is jam-packed with cars, drunken pedestrians, lights, and music. It might make speeding through the streets difficult, but as we know, with GTA, not impossible.
The trailer also shows off a few locations that aren’t Vice City. More specifically, they’re rural areas that resemble Florida’s surrounding states – particularly Georgia, with long stretches of highway cutting a swathe through the countryside. These open areas look sparse but beautiful, with a more natural color palette than the gaudy neon-splashed streets of Vice City.
A quick snapshot shows off GTA 6’s version of the Everglades – flooded grassland filled to the brim with wildlife and terrain usually only accessible by airboat. Luckily enough, the scene we’re shown has one of these crafts, which adds yet another new vehicle to go along with the GTA 6 cars we’ve seen so far.
GTA 6 map locations
Here are all the GTA 6 map locations on our wishlist:
- Malibu Club
- Vercetti Estate
- The Beach
- Ocean View Hotel
- InterGlobal Studios
- Little Haiti
- Bermuda Triangle
Malibu Club
The Malibu Club is one of the most memorable map locations in GTA: Vice City, serving as a lucrative asset property that brings home the bacon – but that’s not all. Purchasing the Malibu Club in Vice City unlocks a series of asset missions, culminating in a bank heist that stands as one of the best set pieces in the old-school crime game. GTA 6 is set to take the Malibu Club from the ‘80s into the modern day, likely swapping out its retro dancefloor and decor for something less gaudy – though we still hope it keeps its prominent neon pink lighting that sets it apart from the other pleasure establishments of Vice Point.
Vercetti Estate
The Vercetti Estate is a sprawling compound that features prominently in GTA: Vice City, which charts protagonist Tommy Vercetti’s rise to power as the eventual kingpin of the city’s criminal underworld. While it’s still unclear whether Tommy will appear in GTA 6, the Vercetti Estate would be an unmissable nostalgia trip for Vice City fans as a representation of his legacy. Whether it’s just an easter egg or a significant GTA 6 map location, we’re banking on catching a glimpse of its familiar red-and-pink hues as we cruise through Starfish Island.
The Beach
Which beach, we hear you ask? Every beach! Like its real-life Miami counterpart, it’s hard not to think about Vice City without also visualizing its many beach locations. Whether it’s Washington Beach or Ocean Beach, if you’re a long-time fan of GTA: Vice City, odds are you’ve got a wealth of fond memories driving along golden sands, dodging bikini-clad models while listening to your favorite radio station.
Ocean View Hotel
The Ocean View Hotel might not be the best safehouse in GTA: Vice City, but it is the first one, and it certainly leaves a lasting impression. Whether you’re hiding out from the cops in Tommy’s suite or swinging by the save point, the hotel lobby’s music is quintessential ‘80s nostalgia. For many fans, the Ocean View Hotel’s facade is synonymous with Vice City itself, and we’d love to see a modern-day equivalent as a GTA 6 map location. Will it be a rundown wreck or a gleaming neon luxury? Only time will tell.
InterGlobal Studios
InterGlobal Studios is the heart of Vice City’s film industry. Like the Malibu Club, it’s an asset property that generates passive income that also includes a collection of wild and wonderful missions. InterGlobal Studios in GTA: Vice City is chock-full of satire that pokes fun at the entertainment industry, from moon landing conspiracies to political blackmail. Again, this is another possible GTA 6 map location that can delve into how much (or little) has changed behind the scenes of American filmmaking since the ‘80s.
Little Haiti
Rockstar was widely criticized for GTA: Vice City’s portrayal and treatment of Haitians following its initial release, triggering protests from US Haitian communities and activist groups. Subsequently, Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive issued an apology, and the most egregious instances were removed in later versions of GTA: Vice City. While some may argue it would be better for Rockstar to avoid stirring up new controversy, a return to Little Haiti would provide an excellent opportunity for the studio to hold true to that apology while also giving us access to a GTA 6 map location that diverges from the vapid glamour of Vice City’s beachfront.
Bermuda Triangle
Listen, we know it’s a strange one, but hear us out. The number of vehicles at our disposal in GTA 6 precludes plenty of opportunities to take to the sky and sea. Consequently, the Bermuda Triangle is a perfect in-universe excuse to establish the boundaries of the sandbox game that would fit in with GTA’s style of humor – in fact, that’s exactly its purpose in GTA 5. If you’re new to the series, just picture it: you’re over the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean in your jet ski or helicopter, and before you know it, your engines have failed and you’ve been wasted by a shark. An elegant solution, right?
Now that you’ve sampled our wishlist of GTA 6 map locations, our GTA 6 cheats list should be your next stop. If you can’t wait for the follow-up to one of the best PC games of all time, check out the latest on the GTA 6 Steam version. We’ve also got thoughts on the GTA 6 map size from the former Rockstar dev, as well GTA 6 launch predictions from GTA voice actor Ned Luke.
Additional contributions by Paul Kelly