The Grand Theft Auto 6 rumor mill has been heating up over the last few months. And no rumor has proven stronger than the one that says Rockstar Games is taking the series back to Vice City, perhaps even in a present-day setting. That rumor is far from confirmed at this point, but it's hard to deny since it's coming from multiple places.
Many fans might expect Rockstar to bring Vice City to the modern age if it does end up being the setting for GTA 6. However, that might actually be the wrong move for the famed developers. It has been 15 years since the franchise explored a setting that wasn't modern-day, and Vice City would be the perfect opportunity to get away from the modern age and play with an old setting.
It could certainly be fun to see what Tommy Vercetti's empire has turned into over the last 30 years if GTA 6 is set in modern times. In fact, that could be a fun way for Rockstar to tie his story up and provide players with a new narrative that introduces Vercetti as either the main villain or a mentor. Even then, Rockstar would lose so much of what made Vice City special if they set GTA 6 in 2021 or later.
How A Return To '80s Vice City Is Better For GTA 6
People remember Grand Theft Auto: Vice City because of the game's vibrant colors and neon-soaked highways. The game stands out in the franchise due to its embrace of the over-the-top 1980s culture. Straying away from that would take away so much of what made the original game special.
A modern-day Vice City for GTA 6 could still have those bright colors from the original game, but it wouldn't feel the same. The wild suits and outlandish styles featured are so central to the game's entire aesthetic. That isn't to say current-day Miami isn't a great setting for a video game, just that Vice City has always felt so different from other GTA games and Rockstar should keep it that way.
If nothing else, a Grand Theft Auto 6 set in present-day Vice City has to have a flashback sequence or two. Not only would this satisfy fans of the original, but it would give Rockstar some intriguing storytelling options, particularly if Tommy Vercetti is involved. It seems almost impossible to imagine a GTA game in Vice City that doesn't take players back to the '80s in one form or the other. Whether through a flashback or as the permanent setting, Rockstar needs to make it happen.