Official materials from Rockstar Games take the game's action back to the sunny, neon-lit coast of the southeastern United States. However, the upcoming game isn’t limited to the metropolis itself—the entire, diverse state serves as the setting. The guide below presents a verified overview of the game world, a catalog of confirmed regions, and their connections to the real world, based on official trailers, the “An Extended Look” presentation, and studio announcements.
What Is the State of Leonida? The Scale of the Game World
Grand Theft Auto VI is set in the fictional state of Leonida, a direct, satirical parody of Florida. Rockstar Games describes this world as the largest and most immersive evolution of an open-world environment in the franchise’s history.
Instead of a uniform urban landscape, the map combines modern business districts, luxurious coastlines, tropical island archipelagos, wild wetlands, and rugged industrial and agricultural areas.
According to data provided to the media during official presentations at Rockstar North:
- Vice City is roughly twice the size of Los Santos from Grand Theft Auto V.
- The entire playable area of Leonida State is significantly larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Overview of Confirmed Regions and Locations
Region / Area |
Area Type |
Key Features and Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
Vice City |
Metropolitan Area |
Downtown business district, Ocean Beach, Art Deco architecture, VC Port. |
Leonida Keys |
Archipelago |
Rural islands connected by ocean causeways, marinas, Jason’s base of operations. |
Grassrivers |
Wildlife / Wetlands |
Mangrove forests, swamps, alligator habitats, transportation by airboats. |
Port Gellhorn |
Industrial and Port Coast |
“The Forgotten Coast,” logistics hub, budget motels, commercial port. |
Ambrosia |
Agricultural and industrial hinterland |
Provincial manufacturing and agricultural areas showcasing the state’s harsher side. |
Mount Kalaga National Park |
Protected Areas |
Nature reserve, forested areas, and hills. |
Leonida State Penitentiary |
Penitentiary |
A prison complex linked to the origins of Lucia’s history. |
Detailed Characteristics of the Regions
- Vice City: A modern metropolis
The heart of the entire state remains the returning Vice City. However, the city is not a simple replica of the 2002 location, but a modern metropolis:
- Ocean Beach and the coastal boulevards: The city’s showcase, featuring rows of palm trees, distinctive pastel Art Deco architecture, and wide beaches characterized by an unprecedented density of residents.
- Downtown and residential neighborhoods: A modern financial center with skyscrapers and luxurious villa districts located on the islands of the wealthy.
- Urban culture and commerce: Vibrant neighborhoods such as Little Cuba, the yacht marina, the VC Port cruise terminal, and the Tisha-Wocka flea market.
- Leonida Keys: Tropical islands and ocean highways
South of the main metropolitan area lies the Leonida Keys archipelago:
- Road connections: A chain of islands connected to the mainland by long highway bridges suspended directly over the ocean.
- Provincial climate: A region dominated by shipping, deep-sea fishing, and motorboat marinas.
- Underworld: Jason’s base of operations is located on the grounds of Brian’s Boat Works, serving as the starting point for his smuggling operations.
- Grassrivers: Endless swamps and untamed wilderness
The Grassrivers region is the virtual equivalent of the Everglades wetlands:
- Ecosystem: Endless marshes, mangrove thickets, and rich wildlife, including flamingos, waterfowl, and alligators.
- Means of Transportation: The primary means of exploring shallow waters and wetlands are flat-bottomed boats with a propeller (so-called “airboats”).
- Port Gellhorn: “The Forgotten Coast”
An urban-port center located outside the boundaries of the main metropolis:
- Economic Profile: A rougher coastline dominated by warehouses, port infrastructure, and a logistics hub.
- Provincial atmosphere: A string of cheap roadside motels and defunct tourist attractions.
- Ambrosia: Agricultural and Industrial Hinterland
An inland region of the state serving as Leonida’s economic hinterland:
- Characteristics: Provincial industrial, warehouse, and agricultural areas.
- World Realism: An area showcasing the harsher, everyday realities of the state, far from resorts and beaches.
- Mount Kalaga National Park: Protected Areas and Nature Reserve
- Mountain-forest ecosystem: A vast national park encompassing forested areas, natural hills, and scenic trails.
- Outdoor Activities: An area dedicated to exploring the wilderness outside urban centers.
- Leonida State Penitentiary: A prison complex
- Correctional facility: A sprawling state prison complex located on the outskirts.
- Role in the game world: A location linked to the starting point of Lucia’s story, her incarceration, and her release.
Culture, Technology, and Satire of the State of Leonida
The game world is a direct satire of 2020s America, where digital technology is directly integrated with map exploration:
- Integrated social media: A built-in app on the duo’s smartphone parodies short-form video formats, where state residents live-stream street antics, chase reports, and dashcam footage.
- “Florida Man” digital folklore: The game world regularly features absurd situations directly inspired by Florida news reports, such as wild alligators entering backyard pools or eccentric driver behavior on highways.
Interesting Facts from the Real World
- The Everglades and Grassrivers: The Grassrivers region directly mirrors Florida’s Everglades National Park—a unique mangrove forest where alligators and crocodiles coexist.
- Inspiration from the Seven Mile Bridge: The bridges connecting the Leonida Keys archipelago were modeled after the famous Overseas Highway (U.S. Route 1), and in particular the monumental Seven Mile Bridge.
- The Cradle of Art Deco in Miami Beach: The architecture of the Ocean Beach waterfront replicates the historic Art Deco district along Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, built in the 1930s and 1940s.
- Administrative Units and Counties: Local jurisdictional markers and county signs have been identified in official video footage, including those for Kelly County and Vice Dale.
- A Musical Tribute to the Region: The first official trailer for the game features the song “Love Is a Long Road” by Tom Petty—a legendary rock musician born in Gainesville, Florida.