GTA 6 Developers Explored Florida With Cameras To Build Realistic Game World

GTA 6: Rockstar Games has reportedly sold over 10.3 million copies of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) through digital pre-orders, generating an estimated $1 billion in revenue ahead of its November 19 release, according to Sensor Tower. While the game has attracted massive demand, its developers have also spent years researching real-life locations, including Miami, to create a detailed and realistic virtual world, according to The Guardian.

GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will arrive more than 13 years after the release of GTA V in 2013. GTA V remains the second-best-selling video game of all time, with approximately 230 million copies sold.

Rockstar Developers Visited Miami For GTA 6 Research

Rockstar North developers first visited Miami in 2015 to study the city while working on the next Grand Theft Auto game. The research helped them create Vice City, the fictional version of Miami featured in GTA 6.

Rob Nelson, one of the lead developers of the game, explained that the team spent time understanding the city's history, atmosphere and different locations before beginning organised research. The developers wanted to study the places where characters would move and the experiences they would have.

The team also visited nightclubs, bars and other locations in Florida. Nelson revealed that some developers explored different neighbourhoods with cameras to collect details for the game.

Also Read: GTA 6 Launches In India: Here's How People Are Reacting

GTA 6 Features A Detailed Virtual Version Of Florida

The game is set in Leonida, a fictional version of Florida, with Vice City as its main setting. Rockstar has focused on including details ranging from buildings and roads to street art, clothes worn by pedestrians and objects inside cafes and shops.

The story follows a criminal couple named Jason and Lucia, who are on the run.

Nelson, who works on the game's design, story and animation, also demonstrated small details related to the characters. These include Jason eating a hot dog, holding a beer while eating a doughnut and adjusting a pack of beer bottles while running.

Almost 5,000 people were involved in making GTA 6. However, a smaller group of senior team members was responsible for important decisions about different parts of the game.

Nelson explained that the game was so large that no single person could keep track of every detail. He also highlighted the importance of real-life research in making the game's locations and characters believable.

Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, also provided the money and time needed to develop the highly detailed game.

Also Read: GTA 6 Generates $1 Billion From Pre-Orders Ahead Of Launch, 10.3 Million Copies Sold