10 places I wish GTA 6 was set instead of Vice City
Polygon published an opinion piece exploring hypothetical alternative settings for GTA 6, which is confirmed to be set in Vice City. The article questions whether Vice City is the ideal choice, noting that while it makes narrative sense—having never received the distinctive identity that Liberty City developed across multiple games—the franchise could benefit from more unconventional locations.
The writer presents ten speculative alternatives to Vice City, ranging from surreal to imaginative settings beyond traditional urban environments. One highlighted example is a futuristic moon-based setting, imagined as a settled lunar colony with narrative parallels to The Expanse, where two criminal protagonists build new lives following their exile. This concept would preserve Rockstar’s signature social satire while fundamentally reshaping the game’s thematic scope and world-building.
The piece engages with broader design questions about whether established locations automatically serve a franchise’s creative direction. By presenting these alternatives, the author challenges the reasoning behind Vice City’s selection and suggests that more experimental settings could expand GTA’s narrative and gameplay possibilities. The article reflects ongoing industry discussion about balancing franchise familiarity with creative innovation in major AAA titles.