Rockstar Games has shared new details about Grand Theft Auto VI in a lengthy interview with the British magazine Dazed.
Rockstar North's head of development and co-studio head Rob Nelson, senior vice president of narrative Rupert Humphries, and other studio staff talked about the world, the characters, and years spent researching Florida.
The Open World
- The story takes place in the fictional state of Leonida, based on Florida, with Vice City at its heart.
- Pedestrians now behave far more realistically. Walk down the street with a rifle, and it won't go unnoticed.
- Rockstar admits the studio looks back at its own past games with a critical eye, adjusting mechanics by feel — based on what worked and what didn't.
The Leads
- The leads are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Jason is an ex-military drug runner, while Lucia has just gotten out of prison.
- Players can switch between the two at any moment. Jason might be behind the wheel while Lucia scrolls social media on her phone in the passenger seat — or one drives while the other fires back at police. It's up to you what you'd rather do on the way: drive, scroll, or shoot.
- Humphries calls the story a "Bonnie and Clyde-type narrative." Cutscenes show the pair's physical closeness in close detail.
- Lucia is the first fully fleshed-out female lead in a mainline GTA game.
How Characters Look
- Food affects weight, exercise builds muscle. The system from past games is back, and it's more detailed than ever.
- Skipped sleep at home, spent days on the run from the cops, or gone on a multi-day bender? It'll show on your face and body.
Vice City
- Vice City is modeled on Miami, keeping its defining traits, including the "Florida Man" meme — the archetype describing locals known for wild antics. In the game, this phenomenon is called "Leonida Man."
- Rockstar staff have been visiting Miami and its surrounding area for a decade. The studio keeps a dedicated research team embedded in the city.
- Humphries says the team meets with former criminals, police officers, club promoters, and gun dealers — basically anyone notorious or influential willing to talk — to gather material for the game's characters.
- The music was inspired by Miami bass and artists like Kodak Black and Sexyy Red.
- The rise of the fictional duo Real Dimez can be followed through viral posts on the game's in-game social media.
- The game will feature plenty of fictional products, stores, and ad campaigns resembling real-world brands. According to Rockstar's vice president of 2D/UI design Stu Petri, the studio's goal is to build a vibrant, believable culture for Leonida, where every brand feels like part of the world rather than a one-off joke.
Scale of Development
- Development has been underway for about 13 years — essentially since GTA V launched in 2013.
- Rockstar's team has more than doubled in size since Red Dead Redemption 2. The studio has offices around the world, and one in LA is dedicated almost entirely to NPC work.
- More than 50 real street artists painted murals in the Stockyard district, modeled on Miami's Wynwood.
- The team behind vehicle handling includes real race-car drivers.
- An online rumor claims the game cost more to make than the Burj Khalifa. Rockstar hasn't commented on the figure.
Gallery
An extended GTA VI showcase airs on Netflix on August 27, becoming available on Rockstar Games' YouTube channel and the game's official site six hours later.
The game launches November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.