Rockstar Games did more than browse Google Maps while building the world of GTA 6. Developers reportedly traveled across South Florida to research the locations, people, and culture that would eventually inspire Vice City and Leonida.
The research even took Rockstar into some less comfortable situations.
Rockstar Researched South Florida for GTA 6
A small Rockstar development team reportedly began its research in Miami before expanding into other parts of South Florida.
The team visited several environments that helped shape the fictional state of Leonida. These included areas inspired by the Everglades and Florida Keys.
As development progressed, more Rockstar employees reportedly flew to Florida to participate in the research.
The goal was simple: Rockstar wanted GTA 6’s world to feel like Florida rather than merely look like it.
Developers Spoke With Police and Gang Members
Rockstar apparently went much further than taking photographs of streets, buildings, beaches, and landmarks.
Developers reportedly traveled alongside local police officers during parts of the research process. They also spoke with gang members to better understand different sides of life in South Florida.
Phones and cameras were used extensively to document locations and interesting scenes.
This gave Rockstar access to details that would be difficult to recreate through online research alone.
It also exposed developers to the darker side of the region.
Some GTA 6 Research Was Apparently Terrifying
Rockstar head of development Aaron Garbut discussed some of the experiences the team encountered while researching Florida.
Not everyone they met was intimidating. Some people were reportedly friendly and happy to show developers around.
Other encounters were considerably different.
Garbut described an “underside” to some of the places the team visited. He also said that some of the stories, locations, and details they encountered “could be terrifying.”
Those experiences could help explain the contrast already visible in GTA 6.
Vice City has its beaches, nightlife, social media personalities, expensive cars, and ridiculous Florida-style chaos. However, Leonida also appears to have a much rougher side hiding underneath its sunny exterior.
GTA 6 Wants More Than a Copy of Miami
Rockstar has always exaggerated real locations when creating Grand Theft Auto cities. GTA 6 appears to follow the same philosophy.
Vice City is heavily inspired by Miami, while Leonida takes inspiration from Florida as a whole. However, Rockstar isn’t attempting to create a one-to-one recreation.
Instead, the extensive South Florida research gives developers a huge collection of cultural details to work with.
Architecture, wildlife, roads, neighborhoods, local behavior, law enforcement, nightlife, and even small environmental details can all contribute to making Leonida believable.
That authenticity could become particularly important outside Vice City.
The Everglades and Florida Keys are dramatically different from downtown Miami. Researching these locations in person should help Rockstar give each part of Leonida its own identity.
Rockstar May Be More Careful With Political Satire
There could also be a slight change in how Rockstar approaches satire.
Despite Grand Theft Auto’s long history of mocking American politics and culture, GTA 6 is reportedly being careful about becoming too specific when parodying political subjects.
That doesn’t mean GTA is suddenly becoming serious.
The trailers have already shown plenty of absurd characters, social media culture, crime, partying, and exaggerated Florida behavior.
Instead, Rockstar appears interested in capturing the culture surrounding Leonida without tying every joke directly to a specific political target.
Considering how long GTA 6 is expected to remain relevant, that approach could also prevent certain jokes from becoming outdated quickly.
Leonida Could Be Rockstar’s Most Detailed World Yet
The scale of Rockstar’s South Florida research shows how seriously the studio is treating GTA 6’s setting.
Sending developers into Miami, the Everglades, the Florida Keys, and other areas gives the team information that satellite imagery and internet research simply cannot provide.
Talking directly with police officers, gang members, and local residents adds another layer.
Rockstar isn’t just recreating roads and buildings. It is studying the people and culture that make South Florida distinctive.
And if some of those research trips really were as unsettling as Garbut suggests, Leonida might have considerably more hiding beneath its beaches and palm trees than GTA 6’s colorful exterior initially suggests.
