The Fascinating World Of The GTA 6 Rumours.

Usually I wouldn’t bother commenting on the highly dubious speculations about a game that isn’t even officially in development yet. But the circulating rumours concerning a potential (inevitable) Grand Theft Auto 6 are…..fascinating, I guess you could say. Assembled out of some contrived algorithm that probably relied on someone devising a list GTA related themes, phrases and locations, scribbled on some post-it notes with crayon, jumbled in a fruit bowl, then picked and arranged into some vaguely credible sentences that could be applied to literally any game in the series. With added authenticity thanks to quoted “verified insider sources”. It goes without saying that you should take these “announcements” with a hefty grain of salt, syphoned from the tears of a disgruntled Manchester United supporter after a last gasp Liverpool equaliser. But as hard to believe as most of this is, it makes for some curious reading.

Potentially the most tenable of these speculations is that GTA 6 will revisit Vice City. Its a logical assumption considering RockStar’s proclivity to return to past glories. Having already reimagined both Liberty City and Los Santos in recent years, Vice City’s absence seems like a glaring omission, one that perhaps RockStar are inclined to address? The only difficulty that may cast doubt on this is the decade. The hyper realised 80’s setting was such a crucial proponent of the original Vice City, explicitly influenced by the likes of “Scarface” and “Miami Vice”, that it’s almost impossible to emulate that same unhinged irreverence in a modern day climate. A return to that era is potentially still a possibility, yet it seems unlikely given that Tommy Vercetti’s ascension to the peak of “Montana” mountain is the real impetus of that decade. And with his stories somewhat ambiguous conclusion, there really isn’t much more of a tale to tell. Yet there are other intriguing rumours that could mean time travel, or more accurately time lapses could be a factor.

Again its worth emphasising that most of these purported insider details have as much credibility as a Conservative lead government, but they’re just as fun to discuss. If rumours are to be believed (they’re not) then not only will GTA 6 feature Tommy Vercetti’s old stomping ground, but other interpreted equivalents of Florida including swamps and islands, as well as taking place in different time periods. GTA is no stranger to flashbacks, having set-up Michael and Trevor’s sordid past in GTA V. But weaving a coherent narrative over the course of several time periods sounds just a little convoluted, even for GTA. Expanding the location beyond the constraints of Vice City is a sound idea given the expansive nature of previous installments, like San Andreas. The idea of engaging in high speed pursuits on an airboat in a GTA rendition of the everglades is an exhilarating prospect. Weather conditions will also play a role in how to interact with the environment, with Hurricanes apparently having a significant impact. This is probably the least compelling “evidence” so far, feeling more like a tenuous connection to localised attributions to the state of Florida. Like announcing GTA London and spouting random references to the captial like “Terrible weather. Tea. Double Decker buses and Knife crime”. Also any kind of extreme weather seems absurdly detrimental to a player just looking to explore in desultory, hooker maiming manner, slowing the pace of the game considerably if you’re then expected to keep track of extreme weather patterns.

Steven Ogg, mild mannered sociopath “Trevor Phillips” has also “Supposedly” suggested that GTA 6 will be released next year, just in time for the PS5. How directly involved with the project is anyone’s guess, which is ironically pertinent to this entirely unreliable article. Now usually I’m left picking splinters out of my butt cheeks from all of the fence sitting, but I feel confident enough in my opinions to assert that much of the speculation surrounding GTA 6 are remote, to say the least. Yet I cannot deny that both my heart and soul have greatly desired a return to the warm, depraved climate of Vice City. And if the release is indeed legitimate then a PS5 would be a day one purchase for me. Whether or not Rockstar feel just as nostalgic is entirely up to them. But if they value money as much as I suspect they do, GTA 6 is probably not far away.

What do you guys think? Would you want a return to Vice City? Or perhaps somewhere new? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers.