GTA 6 story missions will not cover entire map, Rockstar says

Rockstar says GTA 6’s story will explore most of its map, but not every location will feature in main missions

Rockstar Games has confirmed that GTA 6’s story will take players across much of its map, but players will not visit every location through the main missions.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to release on November 19, and Rockstar has continued to share details about the game’s world ahead of launch.

According to recent comments from the development team, the map is around twice the size of Grand Theft Auto 5’s Los Santos and Blaine County.

Speaking to Game Informer, Rockstar’s Aaron Garbut described the new map as the largest the studio has created “by some degree”. However, the developers do not intend for the story to guide players through every part of the world.

“Part of the job of he game’s story is to bring the player around the map in a way that feels authentic and interesting,” Rockstar’s Senior Vice President of Narrative, Rupert Humphries, said.

“We don’t have time to take you everywhere, but we want you to be able to explore and get a feel for most the places, cultures, and vibes.”

The approach means players will have locations to discover beyond those directly featured in the main storyline. Garbut said Rockstar was “obsessed about every part” of the new world while working to make it a “cohesive whole” setting.

GTA 6’s map includes Vice City, which represents Miami, alongside Grassrivers, the game’s take on Florida’s Everglades.

However, several real-world Florida locations, including Disney World, Universal Studios and NASA’s space coast, will not be included.

Rockstar has also confirmed an advanced weather system featuring hurricanes, tropical storms and powerful winds that can affect non-player characters.

The game’s wildlife will provide another way to explore the map, with more than 170 animal species confirmed, including special legendary variants.