Article
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1 finally gave players their first official look at Rockstar Games' next open-world blockbuster.
Following years of speculation, the December 2023 reveal established several major facts about GTA VI while also giving players an early glimpse at the people, places and culture of Rockstar's new version of Vice City.
Here is everything Rockstar had officially confirmed following Trailer 1.
THE STATE OF LEONIDA
Grand Theft Auto VI takes place in the state of Leonida.
Rockstar officially described Leonida as the home of the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and locations beyond the city.
Trailer 1 made it immediately clear that the world would extend far beyond an urban downtown environment.
The footage showed beaches, highways, waterways, dense city streets, nightlife, rural areas and wetlands, suggesting a diverse open world inspired by modern-day Florida.
VICE CITY RETURNS
Vice City is officially returning to Grand Theft Auto.
The iconic location previously appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Vice City Stories, but GTA VI presents a completely new modern interpretation.
Trailer 1 showed skyscrapers, beaches, luxury vehicles, crowded nightlife districts and neon-lit streets that establish Vice City as one of the major centers of the game.
LUCIA IS A CENTRAL CHARACTER
Trailer 1 introduced Lucia.
The opening scenes show her inside a correctional facility before the trailer expands into the wider world of Leonida.
Later footage shows Lucia alongside a male partner during criminal activity, including the pair entering a store while wearing face coverings.
At the time of Trailer 1, Rockstar had not yet published the male character's full official profile.
Lucia therefore became the first GTA VI protagonist publicly introduced by Rockstar in detail through the reveal.
A CRIMINAL PARTNERSHIP IS CENTRAL TO THE STORY
Trailer 1 strongly establishes the relationship between Lucia and her partner as a central element of GTA VI.
The pair are shown together during several moments, and the closing exchange focuses directly on trust between them.
Although Rockstar had not yet released the expanded story synopsis that would arrive later, Trailer 1 clearly positioned their relationship and shared criminal life at the heart of the game.
A MODERN SOCIAL-MEDIA-DRIVEN WORLD
One of the most distinctive elements of Trailer 1 is its portrayal of modern social media.
Several sequences are framed as vertical videos, livestream-style footage and social posts showing unusual events throughout Leonida.
This establishes GTA VI as a contemporary setting and continues Rockstar's tradition of satirizing American culture, media and society.
WILDLIFE AND WETLANDS
Trailer 1 also revealed areas outside Vice City's dense urban environment.
Alligators, wetlands, boats and rural landscapes appear throughout the footage.
These sequences established from the first reveal that Leonida would include a broader mix of environments than Vice City's streets alone.
BEACHES, NIGHTLIFE AND CAR CULTURE
The trailer highlights crowded beaches, clubs, rooftop parties, luxury vehicles, motorcycles and street gatherings.
Together, these scenes provide an early look at the scale and variety Rockstar is aiming to deliver throughout Leonida.
ROCKSTAR CALLS IT ITS BIGGEST GTA EVOLUTION YET
Alongside Trailer 1, Rockstar described Grand Theft Auto VI as the biggest and most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.
The statement set a major expectation for the scale and ambition of Rockstar's next game.
INITIAL RELEASE WINDOW
At the time of Trailer 1, Rockstar officially announced that Grand Theft Auto VI was coming in 2025.
That release window would later change, but it remains historically important because it was the first official release target given alongside the reveal.
CONFIRMED PLATFORMS
Rockstar confirmed PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for GTA VI.
A PC version was not announced as part of Trailer 1 or its accompanying Newswire post.
WHAT ROCKSTAR HAD NOT YET CONFIRMED
Trailer 1 answered many questions, but several important details were still being kept secret.
Rockstar had not yet released the full cast of characters.
The company had not yet published the expanded official profiles for Jason and the other major figures in Leonida.
The complete map had not been revealed.
Gameplay systems, multiplayer details, GTA Online plans and many other features also remained unannounced.
Those details would continue to emerge through future official GTA VI updates.
WHY TRAILER 1 MATTERED
Trailer 1 did much more than reveal a new Grand Theft Auto game.
It introduced an entirely new Rockstar version of Vice City and the wider state of Leonida.
It introduced Lucia, established a central criminal partnership and presented a contemporary world filled with social media, nightlife, wildlife, cars and modern American culture.
For the first time, fans could see what Rockstar's next generation of Grand Theft Auto would actually look like.
Trailer 1 marked the beginning of GTA VI's public era.