Rockstar Games went far beyond simply visiting Miami when researching the world of GTA 6. According to a recent interview with Love Magazine, members of the development team spent a lot of time traveling across Florida to better understand the people, locations and culture that would eventually inspire Leonida.
The research began with a small group from Rockstar driving from Miami through nearby towns, the Florida Keys and eventually down to Key West. The team used these trips to explore different areas, discuss ideas and experience the locations first hand.
Rockstar’s head of development Aaron Garbut explained that these trips are an important part of the studio’s process. Developers also documented their experiences with cameras and phones, collecting material that could later help bring the world of GTA 6 to life.
One particularly unusual trip involved Rockstar developers flying low over the mangrove areas of the Everglades before eventually hovering near a stadium during a live Beyoncé concert. According to Garbut, the stunt even attracted attention from local media.
The team also went much deeper into Florida’s communities. Rockstar developers reportedly spent time with local police officers and even gang members, hearing stories and getting a better understanding of both the everyday and darker sides of the state.
Florida’s extreme contrasts appear to have been particularly important to Rockstar. Miami offers a mix of huge wealth, poverty, luxury, chaos and crime, and the developers wanted to capture all of those sides rather than focusing only on the glamorous image of the city.
That attention to detail could also explain why GTA 6 is expected to have such a large amount of background content. Rockstar says things such as NPC conversations, radio programs and advertisements are treated as important parts of the world rather than simple filler.
Interestingly, Rockstar is also trying to avoid relying too heavily on specific viral events from the real world. Because GTA games take years to develop, references to individual internet trends can become outdated before release. Instead, GTA 6’s satire will focus more on modern culture, conspiracy theories and the strange ways people react to major events.
The result could be one of Rockstar’s most detailed and believable worlds yet, with influences coming from both the everyday life and darker side of modern Florida.