Grand Theft Auto VI: A Guide to the Contemporary Vice City Experience

Grand Theft Auto VI marks a bold return to Rockstar’s sun-soaked crime sandbox, but this time with a sharper focus on realism, scale, and modern life. Set after the events of GTA 5, the game embraces a contemporary setting that reflects today’s culture, technology, and social dynamics, all wrapped in Rockstar’s signature satire. At the heart of the experience is a reimagined Vice City and the surrounding state, inspired heavily by modern-day Miami and Florida at large. From iconic urban landmarks to wild, untamed swamps, GTA 6’s world is shaping up to be the most diverse and ambitious map Rockstar has ever created.

This guide breaks down what players can expect from GTA 6’s setting, map design, traversal systems, and environmental variety, helping you understand how the world itself will play a central role in your criminal journey.

A Contemporary World After GTA 5

GTA 6 takes place after the events of Grand Theft Auto V, firmly planting the story in a modern-day timeline. This means smartphones, social media culture, viral moments, and contemporary politics all influence the world around you. Rockstar has always excelled at parody, and a current-era setting gives them endless material to work with—from influencer culture and online outrage cycles to corporate corruption and modern criminal enterprises.

Unlike earlier GTA titles that leaned into exaggerated pastiche, GTA 6’s tone appears more grounded, reflecting how chaotic reality already feels. Expect missions and side activities that revolve around modern surveillance, digital footprints, and the consequences of living in an always-connected world. Preparation and planning will likely matter more than ever, especially in a city where cameras, GTA 6 Money, and online exposure can turn a small crime into a viral disaster.

Vice City Reimagined: Miami Brought to Life

Vice City returns, but not as you remember it. This isn’t a nostalgic recreation—it’s a fully modernized metropolis inspired by present-day Miami. The city is dense, vibrant, and alive, filled with landmarks that mirror real-world locations.

Iconic Landmarks

Players will encounter meticulously recreated locations that ground the city in realism:

A Grand Tennis Court: More than just set dressing, this venue hints at elite wealth, celebrity culture, and high-profile events. It may host missions, side activities, or simply serve as a visual reminder of Vice City’s luxury.

A Bustling Football Stadium: One of the city’s largest landmarks, the stadium represents Vice City’s obsession with sports, spectacle, and money. Large crowds, traffic congestion, and event-day chaos could all factor into missions or open-world encounters.

A Lively Amphitheater: Music and live events are deeply tied to Miami’s identity, and the amphitheater reflects that. Concerts, festivals, and nighttime gatherings could provide unique mission backdrops or dynamic world events.

These landmarks aren’t just for show. Rockstar’s design philosophy increasingly emphasizes spaces that feel used and lived-in, meaning these locations will likely shift in activity depending on time of day, events, or story progression.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Traversal has always been a core pillar of GTA, and GTA 6 expands this with a more interconnected and functional transportation network.

Airport and Air Travel

The map includes a major airport, reinforcing Vice City’s role as an international hub. Airports in GTA games traditionally serve as gateways for missions, high-speed chases, and illicit operations. In GTA 6, the airport may play an even bigger role, tying into smuggling, international crime, or story transitions between regions.

Functional Tram System

One of the most exciting additions is a fully functional tram system, complete with an airport stop. This signals a shift toward more immersive public transportation. Players can likely ride trams across key city districts, offering a slower but more atmospheric way to explore Vice City.

The tram system also opens the door to new mission design. Imagine surveillance missions conducted from public transit, escapes that rely on blending into crowds, or crimes that take place across multiple tram stops. Public transport adds layers of realism and tactical decision-making to movement.

Beyond the City: A Vast and Varied Map

Vice City is only one piece of GTA 6’s world. The surrounding regions expand the scope dramatically, giving players a full slice of Florida-inspired environments.

The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys bring a stark contrast to the urban chaos of Vice City. These island chains offer sun-bleached roads, coastal towns, and open water stretching as far as the eye can see. Expect:

Long highway drives over water

Isolated communities with their own criminal ecosystems

Opportunities for smuggling, boat chases, and offshore operations

The Keys are likely to feel slower and more atmospheric, providing a change of pace from the city’s constant noise. They also reinforce the importance of boats and water-based traversal.

Grass Rivers: The Swampy Heartland

Perhaps the most intriguing region is Grass Rivers, a swampy area inspired by the Everglades. This environment introduces a completely different gameplay dynamic.

Swamp Exploration

Grass Rivers is dense, murky, and dangerous. Visibility is limited, terrain is unpredictable, and the wildlife may be as threatening as human enemies. This area emphasizes exploration and caution rather than speed.

Swamp Boats

Players can navigate swamp boats through Grass Rivers, opening up a new form of traversal. These boats are ideal for shallow waters and narrow channels, allowing access to hidden locations, remote hideouts, and secret activities.

Swamp boats also suggest unique mission types—chases through reeds, stealthy approaches to hidden compounds, or high-tension escapes where solid ground is nowhere in sight.

Environmental Storytelling and Immersion

Rockstar’s worlds thrive on environmental storytelling, and GTA 6 looks to push this further than ever before. Each region tells its own story:

Vice City showcases excess, wealth, and modern chaos.

The Florida Keys highlight isolation, tourism, and maritime crime.

Grass Rivers embodies neglect, danger, and the tension between nature and human intrusion.

NPC behavior, ambient dialogue, and dynamic events will likely differ dramatically across these areas, making travel feel meaningful rather than cosmetic.

Preparing for GTA 6’s World

With such a vast and detailed map, preparation becomes a key part of the GTA 6 experience. Players will need to think about:

Vehicle choice: Cars dominate the city, boats rule the Keys and swamps, and aircraft connect everything.

Timing: Events, crowds, and patrols may change depending on time of day.

Awareness: A modern setting means more eyes, more recordings, and more consequences.

Exploring every corner of the map won’t just be about completion—it will be essential to mastering the game’s systems and uncovering its best content.

Final Thoughts

GTA 6’s contemporary setting and Florida-inspired map represent a major evolution for the series. By combining a modern Vice City with functional infrastructure, diverse regions like the Florida Keys, and the swampy danger of Grass Rivers, Rockstar is creating a world that feels alive, reactive buy GTA 6 Money, and endlessly explorable.

This isn’t just a backdrop for crime—it’s a living ecosystem that challenges how you move, plan, and survive. Whether you’re weaving through traffic on a tram-lined boulevard, skimming across open water in the Keys, or creeping through the murky channels of Grass Rivers on a swamp boat, GTA 6’s world promises to be as memorable as the stories told within it.

As more details emerge, one thing is already clear: GTA 6 isn’t just bigger—it’s deeper, smarter, and more reflective of the world we live in today.