Ethan Crossfield 
Rockstar Games has offered a closer look at the real-world research behind GTA 6, revealing that members of the development team traveled through South Florida with police officers and gang members. The visits helped the studio study the people, locations and contrasting cultures that will shape the fictional state of Leonida and its centerpiece, Vice City.
What happened during GTA 6's Florida research
Aaron Garbut, GTA 6's head of development, discussed the project in an interview with Love Magazine, as reported by IGN. He explained that a small group initially explored Miami and nearby areas, including the Everglades and the Florida Keys. Garbut documented the trip with a phone and camera before additional developers traveled to Miami to contribute to the research.
The team did not limit its work to tourist landmarks or familiar images of the region. Rockstar also spent time with police officers and gang members to understand parts of South Florida that are less visible to visitors. Garbut described the people who guided the team as welcoming, while noting that some of the locations and stories they encountered were deeply unsettling.
That approach suggests Rockstar is researching more than visual references. The studio appears interested in how different communities experience the same region, which could influence GTA 6's characters, background activity and environmental storytelling.
Why the research matters for Leonida and Vice City
GTA 6 is set in Leonida, a fictional state built around the sprawling streets of Vice City. The game is expected to offer a large world for players to explore, but Rockstar has clarified that the main story will not provide a guided tour of every part of the map. Some locations and cultures are intended to be discovered independently.
That design choice makes the research especially relevant. If major portions of Leonida sit outside the campaign's direct route, environmental details and optional encounters will need to communicate the state's identity without lengthy explanation. Real-world observation could help Rockstar create a setting that feels varied rather than like a collection of disconnected references.
The studio has also indicated that GTA 6 will avoid becoming overly specific in its parody of political subjects. Even so, the game's depiction of Miami-inspired crime and culture has already drawn criticism. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Statuz argued that GTA's reputation as a violent franchise does not represent the real city, objecting to marketing arrangements that could portray Miami negatively.
What to watch next
Rockstar's research comments add context to the world players will eventually explore, but they do not reveal how much of that work will appear in the main narrative. The most useful clues will likely come from future footage, character details and demonstrations of activities away from the central story path.
Marketing plans may also keep GTA 6 in the public conversation before launch. Rockstar and Miami Beach negotiated a $4 million campaign that could use the Roman numeral "VI" and the name "Vice City" instead of the full title. Approved advertising would be limited to beach chairs and umbrellas. Separately, the Miami Heat is set to use the name "Vice City Heat" for a November 18 game against the Milwaukee Bucks, with a large banner planned for the Kaseya Center.
GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19. Until then, the central question is whether Rockstar's extensive fieldwork will produce a world that rewards exploration as much as it supports the headline story.
Key takeaways for players
- Rockstar researched Miami, the Everglades and the Florida Keys for GTA 6.
- Developers interacted with police officers and gang members during the research process.
- Leonida's full map will not be covered by the main campaign's route.
- Players should expect optional locations and regional cultures to be discovered through exploration.
- The game's South Florida-inspired setting remains a point of public debate before launch.
Expert View
Rockstar's willingness to study South Florida through both official and criminal perspectives could give GTA 6 a more layered setting than a simple Vice City revisit. The decision to leave parts of Leonida for player-led discovery is equally promising: it gives the map room to tell its own stories. However, authentic research will not prevent controversy if the final world reduces real communities to crime stereotypes. The impact will depend on whether Rockstar turns its observations into diverse characters and believable places rather than only darker material for the next spectacle.
