Over 90 videos and screenshots of in-development footage from Grand Theft Auto 6 was leaked recently, and it provides some interesting details regarding the GTA 5 sequel’s story. Rockstar confirmed these GTA 6 leaks are real and has moved quickly to take down uploaded footage and screenshots – which showcases gameplay of the new protagonist duo holding up a diner and visiting a strip club – but that hasn’t stopped the GTA community from pouring over the footage to glean every bit of information they can. Until now, rumors and speculation have surrounded the game’s setting, characters, and story, and these leaks reveal some important information about what to expect from the finished product.
While Rockstar has played its cards close to its chest regarding the development of the next Grand Theft Auto game, reports had indicated prior to the recent leak that GTA 6 has a female protagonist and Miami-inspired setting, with many taking that as an indication the next entry would return to Vice City. The same location was spotlighted in 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which featured the late Ray Liotta as its protagonist, Tommy Vercetti. GTA 6 providing a modern update to Vice City would follow the tradition of the other HD Grand Theft Auto games, with GTA 4 upgrading GTA 3‘s Liberty City, and GTA 5 upgrading San Andreas‘ city of Los Santos.
The recent leaks have confirmed that earlier reports and rumors surrounding GTA 6 were accurate, as the game will indeed take place in Vice City – as indicated by a developer tag that reads “DistrictViceCity”. However, additional details were provided in the form of a police car that has the words “Port Gellhorn” written on it, a completely new location to the GTA franchise. These GTA 6 video leaks were centered around both a female playable character – called “Lucia” in the development text – and “Jason”, who are seen working together to hold up a diner and meeting somebody at a strip club. We also see some footage of Jason interacting with a kooky conspiracy theorist (who even mentions a callback to the events of GTA 5, when Michael assassinated the CEO of Lifeinvader).
Leaked GTA 6 Gameplay Reveals Protagonists’ Names – Lucia & Jason
While these snippets of gameplay are completely removed from their context, they do indicate that Lucia and Jason are the Bonnie & Clyde couple that was previously rumored, and that the main story will revolve around them rising up the ranks of the criminal underworld in GTA 6‘s Vice City setting and its surrounding environs. While some think that “Port Gellhorn” might be a second city, the environment in these clips closely resembles the coastal towns of Florida, which means it’s more likely a smaller settlement on the map akin to GTA 5‘s Paleto Bay. A huge list of potential world events – from “Sidewalk Creep” to “Beach Bum Preacher” – also show that the map is likely to be filled with the same kind of stranger missions that were a staple of GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.
These leaks also demonstrate that Rockstar is not ditching its satirical take on American culture, as much of the dialogue in the leaked footage seemed to retain the irreverent approach the franchise is famous for. After the departure of GTA writer and Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser, many questioned whether GTA 6 would retain its ironic and controversial edge. The conspiracy theorist’s dialogue during the leaked footage of Jason still carries a sharp, darkly comic tone, and the inclusion of a sleazy strip club is an even bigger indicator that GTA 6 won’t completely abandon what the series is famous for.
Although these leaks confirm many of the key assumptions that fans have had until now, it is interesting that previous rumors emphasized how different the story’s tone would be considering the glimpses of story content in the footage seem to indicate otherwise. However, Rockstar could easily surprise players with a deeper or more complex commentary on modern America through the partnership between Lucia and Jason. In other aspects, Rockstar doesn’t seem to be deviating from its wildly successful GTA 5 formula much, but Grand Theft Auto 6 could still be in development for years to come – meaning most of these aspects are subject to change.
