The setting of Grand Theft Auto VI is one of its most talked-about details — and for good reason. GTA 6 takes place in the fictional state of Leonida, a sun-soaked, swamp-lined region built around a reimagined, modern-day Vice City. It's the return fans have wanted for two decades, rebuilt from the ground up. Here's how the world is shaped.
Where is GTA 6 set?
Leonida is Rockstar's take on the state of Florida, the same way San Andreas riffed on California and Liberty City channels New York. At its heart sits Vice City, a neon-drenched metropolis inspired by Miami — beaches, art-deco storefronts, high-rises and a nightlife that never sleeps. But unlike the compact Vice City of 2002, this version is just one piece of a much larger state.
A modern Vice City
The original Vice City was a love letter to the 1980s. This time, the city is set in the present day, trading synth-pop nostalgia for a contemporary vibe: influencer culture, smartphones, social media and a satirical spin on modern internet life that Rockstar has always done well. The bones are familiar — beachfront strips, canals and glittering towers — but the texture is entirely new.
Beyond the city limits
What makes Leonida so exciting is everything around Vice City. Trailers and official imagery point to a state full of variety inspired by real Florida landmarks:
- Endless beaches and the coastline — the sun-and-sand identity the series is famous for.
- Wetlands and swamps — an Everglades-style expanse that promises airboats, wildlife and a very different kind of countryside.
- Rural towns and highways — smaller communities that give the map texture between its urban centres.
- The Keys — island chains stretching out into the water, perfect for boats and coastal getaways.
Put together, it's a world that swings from glossy downtown nightlife to muddy backroad isolation, often within a single drive.
How big is the map?
Rockstar hasn't published exact square-mileage figures, so treat any specific number you see online with caution. What's clear from everything shown so far is that Leonida is designed to be the studio's largest and most detailed open world to date. The bigger story isn't raw size, though — it's density. Rockstar has emphasised worlds that feel alive, and GTA 6 pushes simulation further with reactive crowds, dynamic weather and environments that respond to the player.
Size gets the headlines, but it's density and detail that make a Rockstar map feel real — and Leonida looks built to raise that bar.
Two protagonists, one state
The map is also shaped by its story. GTA 6 follows a dual-protagonist duo, Lucia and Jason — the first female lead in the modern series — whose journey has been compared to a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style partnership. A criminal road trip across an entire state is the perfect excuse to send players from Vice City's neon core out into the swamps, small towns and coastline that surround it.
The bottom line
Leonida is more than a backdrop — it's arguably the star of the show. A modern Vice City anchored inside a sprawling, Florida-inspired state gives GTA 6 enormous range, from beachfront glamour to backwater grit. For everything about when you'll get to explore it, read our release date guide, and keep an eye on the homepage countdown.
