There’s no denying that Grand Theft Auto V was an astounding success. It has been said that Rockstar was able to take in over $1 billion in sales, making it not just the most grandiose video game franchise around, but one of the most popular pieces of media ever produced, period. It’s also worth a mention that PS4 Home reported on 3 areas that could feature in GTA 6.
With that in mind, we turn our attentions toward GTA 6, because a little is never enough. Even though there are loads of people still exploring the fictionalized world of GTA V, finding new and exciting things to do with the game, it’s hard to not yearn for the next installment. Heck, we still haven’t even seen the latest game reach the PC crowd yet, which will probably yield all sorts of new goodies in the way of mods with a bit of additional waiting. With talk about a PS5, it’s easy to dream about what the next step in the GTA series could entertain – and it’s huge. Naturally, this usually means that a new city locale is going to be chosen as a basic backdrop as well. The question of course is – who is going to be honored this time around? We’re about to explore the top 8 cities that are rumored for GTA 6, hold onto your hats…
London
Yes, the sudden inclusion of a non-US city would certainly shake up the formula and buck the trend that Rockstar has basically set in stone. Nevertheless, there are a LOT of GTA fans in the UK (and Europe, for that matter) that would probably go nuts over the idea of the next episode findings its way to London. Likewise, it has all sorts of unique traits that might make it into much more than a memorable experience, perhaps even lending to new avenues for gameplay, etc.
Paris
Speaking of European cities, why not yet another one of the heavies….Paris? We are, after all, talking about a town that has long been one of the world’s oldest cultural centers and has seen all sorts of action in the past (as well as the present). Moreover, Paris has some amazing landmarks which would just be all too perfect to see recreated in digital form.
Vice City
One of the long-standing rumors, which some try to back up with “official” statements from Rockstar, is that GTA VI is going to mark a return to Vice City. It’s easy to see why people might think this is the case, especially considering the developer’s tendency to revisit locales. Additionally, a lot of GTA fans really seem to like Vice City in particular, with its unique sights and sounds. Hey, they could do a lot worse, you know?
Portland
Yet another rumor that’s surfaced fairly recently is that the next game will or should take place in Portland (see here). By the way, in case you didn’t know, these calls for Portland are emanating from a real estate company, which is pretty interesting. This northwestern US city has a pretty good reputation and remains pretty unique too, making it a bit of a departure but still a satisfying choice if used. There have been lots of people offering up detractions for this, of course, citing its size, etc. Certainly it would delight residents of that particular area to know end.
Hong Kong
If you’ve ever been to Hong Kong then you already know how incredibly cool it is. While there have been various games that have attempted to capture its essence, perhaps only Rockstar has what it takes to translate HK for use in molding their own version of a large, modern Asian city. Again, Rockstar has made it kind of apparent through statement and action that they might want to keep the GTA series within the continental US, but you never know. On the whole though, the prudent businessperson would definitely want to tap into the mainland Chinese consumer electronics market but with the communist government being a bit weird or “iffy” on the subject of console gaming (and the influence of Western culture), it could be a wrong move.
Tokyo
What better way to capture the love of the Japanese gamers than to use Tokyo as a template for GTA 6? In fact, as a westerner, it’s hard to readily think of any open world games that have used this legendary Japanese city as a backdrop (none are springing to mind here). In truth, the general “zaniness” or bizarreness of Japanese humor within its unique pop culture would likely fit right in with the sort of over-the-top comedy material that Rockstar and Co. always like to incorporate. Really, the possibilities are endless in Tokyo.
Seattle
Hey, it was good enough to use as the setting for InFAmous: Second Son, why not GTA, eh? Actually, Seattle has been proposed by a number of astute gamers and certainly would make an excellent location for all sorts of crazy antics. Not to go too off topic here, but one could easily imagine them perhaps spoofing the fictional Dr. Frasier Crane, offering up insane psychological advice on one of their in-game radio stations. The fun doesn’t have to end there of course…one can imagine much greater possibilities than this, of course.
Las Vegas
Last but certainly not least we have Las Vegas, which is probably one of the most idealistic spots you could alight with a Grand Theft Auto game. It’s already known as a bastion for fun, sex, gambling and all other manner of wild entertainment, so this seems like a natural fit. Even better, the surrounding desert areas would no doubt be a blast to explore as well. Just imagine them sticking in a mock Area 51-style base and all the craziness that would follow, for instance. Turning back to more standardized settings though, how much fun could they really have with a fully-fledged casino them though?! You know what…let’s hope that it ends up being Vegas in the end that seems like a solid fit that’s long overdue.
Let’s be honest here though, wherever Rockstar decides to place the next installment, it’s going to be an absolute blast.
