GTA 6: Should Rockstar go back to Vice City or an entirely new location?

Rockstar Games are one of the premier AAA publishers in the gaming industry, and the GTA franchise is largely responsible for the company's success. The influence and impact of the Grand Theft Auto franchise is undeniable as each game rakes in a massive amount of sales with every release.

The amount of pressure on the publishers and the individual studios working on a GTA game is unimaginable. Each creative decision in the game will have a massive impact on how the games are received critically or commercially.

Something as little as the driving mechanics of a GTA game can have a lasting impact on the game's perception, let alone the choice of city. The open-world of the GTA games is an integral and indispensable aspect of the series, and thus decisions relating to it will have major consequences.

Rumors surfaced online that the franchise may be heading back to a familiar city with the next installment in the franchise. Let's try and figure out whether that would be the best decision to make.

Should Rockstar go back to Vice City in the next GTA game?

Nostalgia trumps everything

Vice City, undeniably, has a lot of nostalgic value and has been proven right in entertainment time and time again. 'Nostalgia trumps everything.' GTA Vice City is still considered one of the most beloved titles in the series, and the city itself has a lot to do with it.

Rose-tinted glasses or not, Vice City, is an amazingly well-designed open-world with a lot of personality and character. From its residents to its architecture and the neon that seemingly seeps through everything, Vice City is truly one of the best ever cities in gaming.

Thus, it seems like that would be the safest and the best option for Rockstar to take. However, Rockstar has never been the one for making 'safe' choices.

New city equals new opportunities

(Image Credits: gamesradar)

Vice City is the only location in the GTA universe that Rockstar hasn't gone back, apart from Vice City Stories on the PSP/PS2. In contrast, other cities such as Liberty City and the state of San Andreas have been expanded in the later games after their introduction.

Vice City presents an option for Rockstar to expand and develop into something much larger than its original version in GTA Vice City. However, an entirely new location represents a much more 'freeing' option for Rockstar.

With Vice City, there exists a certain level of expectations and preconceived notions of what the city must feel or look like. With a new location, Rockstar has all the cards in their hands, and they can craft it according to what the new game requires.

Balancing the two

While some could argue that Vice City in its original form is nigh perfect and should remain the way it is, expanding upon it indeed is an appealing prospect. If there's any studio or publisher that can figure out how to deliver nostalgia and expand the game world in a meaningful way, it is Rockstar.

It will be a tough tight-rope act to balance between nostalgia and introducing original ideas and designs, but the next GTA game will certainly benefit from a balance of the two.