We’re just over a month away from the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, and while we know to expect some familiar landmarks within the fictionalized state of Leonida, Rockstar Games is letting players know just how much exploration was done to capture the true essence of Miami and its surrounding cities.
In a recent interview with LOVE Magazine, Rockstar developers provided a look at the extreme lengths their on-the-ground research took, from hanging with local cops, gang members and everyday residents to accidentally appearing over a Beyoncé concert from a helicopter.
Co-Studio Head Aaron Garbut detailed early beginnings with a small group road-tripping from Miami to Key West in order to soak in the atmosphere and eventually return with a larger team to dive deeper.
“This is one of the best parts of the entire project: a car full of friends, driving for days on end, talking about what we want to make and being immersed in the locations and our ideas,” Garbut told the publication.
To understand the geography from a different perspective, the team took to the skies and filmed over the Everglades, even hovering above a stadium where a Beyoncé concert was taking place — an incident that reportedly landed them on the local news.
They also made it a point to experience the gritty realities of Miami, spending time with people from all walks of life. To build a more believable world, they sought out to learn as much as possible about the region’s diverse cultures and underbelly.
“We do go in-depth, we hang with locals, and we hear lots of stories and learn as much as we can,” Garbut noted. “We travel around with cops and with gang members.”
Head of Development Rob Nelson explained that the primary goal is to immerse players into the world, finding the right balance of realism and player convenience by exaggerating or omitting aspects of reality to serve the narrative.
GTA VI is scheduled for release on November 19 for Xbox Series X|S and PS5.