After 10 years, Rockstar has given us a look at the next installment of its golden franchise, GTA VI. They may have had to release it ahead of schedule due to leaks, but that didn’t affect the success of the trailer. As of the time of writing, the trailer has garnered 112 million views on Rockstar’s YouTube channel, signaling the anticipation many have for this upcoming entry. We don’t have an exact release date, only that it’s set to release sometime in 2025. So, in the meantime, let’s analyze some of the things from the trailer.
Note: These are listed in no particular order.
The Ocean View Hotel
First on our list is a nice nostalgic nod to the first safe house from GTA: Vice City, where GTA VI takes place. Obviously, Vice City is heavily inspired by Miami, Florida, and the Ocean View Hotel is based on the signature beach hotels that line the coast. The question is, is it just a member berry, or could it be a potential safe house in GTA VI?
We’ll have to wait to know for sure, but Rockstar is very good at its subtle callbacks, so expect to find tons when more trailers come out.
A screenshot of the Ocean View Hotel in the GTA VI trailer
There’s Two Main Characters
This one is obvious, but now we know in an official capacity that there will be two main characters. One is a female character who seems to be the 1A of the pair, Lucia, and the other is a yet-to-be-named male. Several reports suggest his name may be Jason or James. This seems to be pointing to a Bonnie and Clyde-type situation where the pair start wreaking criminal havoc across Vice City.
Does this mean GTA VI will have a co-op? Or could this be a similar situation to GTA V, where you could switch between main characters?
The Weather Could Get Wild
Now, we know Rockstar is pretty good at incorporating realism into their games. It was on grand display when they released Red Dead Redemption 2. Since Vice City is inspired by Miami, Rockstar would naturally include the typical weather of that area. I’m a native Floridian, and let me tell you, if Rockstar incorporates the fickle weather Florida is known for, be ready for plenty of flip-flops between beautifully sunny and apocalyptic hurricanes.
In all seriousness, knowing how fun their physics can be and after the gorgeous realism in RDR2, I can’t wait to see what Rockstar does with the weather on a next-gen level.
A screenshot of what could be hurricane-like weather in the GTA VI trailer
Speaking of Florida…
There are several instances of the word Leonida in the trailer (such as the username in the photo above) referring to it as the state where Vice City resides. Most have theorized that this is a combination of the historical conquistador who discovered Florida for Europe, Ponce De Leon, and the last three letters of Florida, -ida, to create Leonida. Rockstar is not shying away from Florida references and the risqué culture in South Beach.
Animals Could Be Another Fun Aspect
Along with the weather, another fun addition could be animals. We had animals in GTA V, but with a predicted 12-year gap between games, I would expect an upgrade in that regard.
In the trailer, we were shown some of Florida’s more infamous wildlife, such as alligators and flamingos. However, some shots suggest less common additions, such as the iguana on one of the NPC’s shoulder (which can be seen in the foreground of the Ocean View Hotel photo). Exactly how deep that wildlife interaction would go is unknown. Still, if they inject some of the wildlife capabilities from RDR2, it could create plenty of zany moments between them and the wild citizens of Vice City.
A screenshot of flamingos in the GTA VI trailer
References to Tom Petty
In a touching little mini tribute, the GTA VI trailer uses the song “Love Is A Long Road” by the late great Tom Petty. Later in the trailer, there is also a sticker on a convenience store door that says “Petty Forever,” referencing not only his music but the fact that he was a native Floridian. If you drive around Florida, you’re bound to see a mural of Tom Petty eventually, so this is a nice way to recognize his achievements in the game.
Social Media Continues to Evolve
Everyone knows social media has rooted itself within our culture, and there are no exceptions when it comes to video games. GTA V had an in-game social media, but I always felt it to be shallow and not worth my time. However, in this trailer, we see numerous in-game clips captured in an Instagram Live or TikTok style. In my opinion, this is a big step up and could be an entertaining feature if it can be used like those real-life apps. GTA V didn’t have great luck with companion apps, but maybe it can be more successful this time.
A screenshot of girls dancing in a TikTok style livestream
Car Culture Making a Comeback
Car culture is a big thing in South Beach, and it looks to be represented loud and clear in this trailer. There was a side story in GTA V that explored the car culture in the Los Angeles-inspired Los Santos, but with next-gen capabilities, we could see car customization on a whole other level in GTA VI. We’ve seen shots of customized low-riders and motorcycles, and with the attention Rockstar puts into making the cars as realistic as possible, there are going to be a ton of different ways to make your vehicle stand out amongst the others in Vice City.
Redneck Culture Also Represented
With Florida being about as south as you can get in the United States, there’s plenty of opportunities to show the redneck side of Vice City, and there’s obviously one aspect of the game that will focus on that. There is some footage of a few NPCs covered in mud with trucks and ATVs in the background also muddied up, but if you look in the corner, you can see a watermark for the “Thrillbilly Mud Club.” What precisely this club is in the game is unknown, but it sure does look fun. I also realized that Rockstar could possibly have carried over the mud visuals from RDR2, which fills me with excitement.
A screenshot of the “Thrillbilly Mud Club”
Look at the Absolute Density
I’m not sure exactly how much of this will translate into the final product. After all, many games show plenty of things in trailers only to fall short when it comes to what we actually play. But if anyone can do it, I believe Rockstar can. Seeing those beaches absolutely filled to the brim with NPCs and vehicles looks exactly like a beach on a hot, sunny day. Not only are the beaches impressive, but the streets are lined up with traffic, and pedestrians cover the sidewalks. It completely captures how a big, high-density city would look.
