The size of the map in Grand Theft Auto VI has come into question once again, and everyone from developers within the industry to the average gamer has had opinions on what they expect. It seems like many former Rockstar developers have also had their own take on what the size of GTA 6 may end up looking like.
Former Rockstar developer John Ricchio, who worked at the company between 2003 and 2014 on games like Max Payne 3, GTA V, and Red Dead Redemption, has now weighed in on the discourse with his opinion.
Speaking to YouTuber Kiwi Talkz (via Games Radar) regarding the size of the upcoming game, Ricchio says that “the fact that every single time they do a GTA, it’s ludicrously bigger than before is like something that I think about”.
“I can only imagine the size of GTA 6. Like it must be monstrous. Or if not monstrous, it’s probably way more detailed”.
A Pattern of Growth
The precedent is there, of course. If one were to compare Grand Theft Auto IV‘s Liberty City with its sequel’s San Andreas map, one would see that Liberty City only just about fits into Los Santos, with all the northern areas of the map being extra space added on top of that.
This is also the case with Red Dead Redemption 2, where the map was about twice as large as the first game’s world. Ricchio noted that “Between RDR and GTA, I think they were continually growing the size of the world”.
Taking this into consideration, it does leave you to wonder how big the map for Grand Theft Auto VI will be. It’ll likely be bigger than GTA V‘s map, but the question is more of “how much bigger?”
What We Know About Leonida’s Scale
While Rockstar has not officially confirmed the map size, the fictional state of Leonida — inspired by Florida — is expected to feature six confirmed regions:
- Vice City as the central metropolis
- Leonida Keys
- Grassrivers
- Port Gellhorn
- Ambrosia
- Mount Kalaga National Park
Together, they are set to cover beaches, swamps, small towns, and wilderness areas.
Community mapping projects and leaks suggest that the map will be roughly twice the size of GTA V, spanning between 118 and 132 square miles (approximately 300 to 340 km²). Some estimates place it at 2.55 times the size of GTA V, with a landmass of approximately 125 square kilometres.
The Human Cost of Ambition
Ricchio adds that he’s “pretty happy that I’m not on GTA VI. Not that it wouldn’t be cool to work with those people… but it is really difficult, and it’s a hard period of your career when you’re working that hard on something”.
However, he does note that seeing fans’ excitement for the final result is “magic” and “rewarding”.
“It’s a lot more stuff to build. It’s a lot more performance to deal with. There are a lot of considerations with going with a bigger world, but it really does make you feel like you’re in a place, right? It makes you feel like you’re in a huge place”.
Also, Read
- GTA 6 Gamers Settle for ‘Trailer 2.5’ as New Look Hailed as ‘Awesome’
- Former Rockstar Producer Reveals Why GTA 6 Could Arrive Later on PC
- ‘They Should Be Charging $200’: Analyst Says GTA 6 Is Too Cheap at $80
Will There Be a Physical Map?
The exact size and scope of Grand Theft Auto VI‘s map is not yet known, as Rockstar has refrained from releasing any details about it just yet.
As is tradition, a map is probably going to be included in the boxed copies of the game. Despite the fact that physical discs won’t be included in these copies, the presence of a map may sway some collectors who have collected boxed copies of the other Grand Theft Auto games.
Meanwhile, pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI went live last month, with the Standard Edition priced at £69.99 / $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition priced at £89.99 / $99.99.
Those who pre-order the game can start downloading it on November 12, a week before the game releases on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19, and all pre-orders will get access to the Vice City Vintage Pack, with new clothing and vehicle options for the player to use.
Grand Theft Auto VI will be released on 19 November 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The PC port has yet to be announced.