Summary

• GTA 6 is releasing over two decades after GTA: Vice City, and the Miami-inspired city has made some tremendous transformations.
• The game boasts higher population density and activity, with more lively and unpredictable characters and environments.
• The reveal trailer showcases vibrant nightlife in detailed clubs and other locations, including a breathtaking skyline and a bustling port.

The teaser provided the first official look at the Miami-inspired city. With breathtaking skyscrapers, swampy marshes, and pristine beaches, Vice City has never felt more alive than it does in GTA 6.

It's not surprising that the graphics have improved in the 21 years between the releases of GTA 6 and Vice City; what is impressive is just how refined the new city looks. Pixelated buildings are now immensely detailed, and once-flat blue s newly highlight the gorgeous waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Whether it's more expressive characters or vastly creative and dense nightclubs, Grand Theft Auto 6 boasts all the qualities of one of the best-looking games of all time.

10 The Peninsula Gets A Breathtaking Update In GTA 6

Familiar Location Expanded & Updated

It's almost impossible to conceive that these two photos are technically the same place. Surrounded by water and bolstered by stunning palm trees and lively apartment buildings, the peninsula in Vice City has never looked better. Aside from an obvious improvement in visual quality across the board, it's worth mentioning the enhancements in population density and a deeper field of view. Modern developments in technology now allow for an increase in activity without sacrificing aesthetic value.

9 The Streets In GTA 6 Are Now Teeming With Life

Higher Traffic & NPC Density

Similar to the above photo, one of the first things that catches the eye is the increased density in GTA 6's overall population. Aside from buildings looking significantly more realistic, there is also a lively element to them that is glaringly absent in GTA: Vice City. Every window from the 2002 game is nothing more than a lifeless gray surface, but in Grand Theft Auto 6, there's something unpredictable and available to witness happening in every room.

8 The Beaches In GTA 6’s Vice City Are Unrecognizable

Greater Atmosphere & Better Water Textures

The water in its predecessor was just flat blue sheets, but the waves of Grand Theft Auto 6 are crisp and reflective. It's also sometimes hard to believe GTA: Vice City takes place in a major city, given the entire beach is devoid of life. There are more plants, people, and buildings, all with immaculate visual qualities. Photos of the original are a firm reminder of how outdated some forms of entertainment from the 2000s truly are.

7 Grand Theft Auto 6’s Vice Beach Is Just As Vibrant Up Close

Greater Detail & More NPCs

Exploring the beaches on foot in Grand Theft Auto 6 will be no less of an experience than flying over on a plane or zooming by in a boat. If map size being vastly increased in GTA 6, the opportunities on the coastal oasis will be endless.

6 The Animated Nightlife Is A Highlight Of The GTA 6 Trailer

More Detailed Clubs

The GTA franchise has never shied away from the more mature features, like adult entertainment clubs. These settings are more than mere sideline locations; in both Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5, these clubs are the central hub for several main missions. In entries such as GTA: Vice City Stories, players could invest in and develop these clubs and collect income from them. Expanding on this level of creative freedom for GTA 6 would be smart, especially if these locations are integral to multiple main quests.

5 GTA 6’s Port Showcases Infinitely More Detail

Even Sparse Environments Are More Impressive

Whether it's the beach, the port, or the peninsula, there are plenty of water-centric locations in Grand Theft Auto 6 to show off. It takes a special level of beauty to make something as industrial as a shipping port look aesthetically pleasing, but the GTA 6 trailer portrays this production hub with an effortless style. This is one of the few locations that doesn't lean into a more dense environment to show off a more powerful graphics processor, but this is not a fault. The port is among several other places that have a familiar feel but also so enhanced as to be unidentifiable.

4 Vice City's Denizens Are Next Level In GTA 6

An Incredible Leap In Texture Quality

At launch in 2002, the character models in GTA: Vice City were considered groundbreaking, but ahead of the Grand Theft Auto 6 release, they look horrendously obsolete. One of the most glaring differences is the updated motion capture for the hands. Two characters shaking hands in 2002 is simply two blocks combining, while the 2024 model showcases much more detail. With GTA 6 still so far from launch, the development team has nothing but time to make the graphics and character models look even better.

3 Motorcycles Have A Much More Modern Look In GTA 6

Greater Vehicle Variety

After seeing upgrades like this, it's hard not to be excited about all the impressive real-world elements Rockstar's newest game will bring. The GTA 6 reveal trailer was essentially a compilation of real-life viral moments, recreated in-engine to establish the game's tone, and reassure fans that the series isn't pulling any punches with its satire of American culture. Dirt bikes and ATVs being driven en masse on South Florida roads is a relatively common occurrence, but the clip is also a showcase of some vehicles players will likely get to drive in-game.

2 The Vice City Skyline Is Something To Behold In GTA 6

A More Vibrant City

The opening shot in the GTA 6 trailer immediately sets the tone for just how beautiful the game will be. Transitioning from the big Miami-like city into the swamps of Leonida will be no less beautiful and lively as players navigate the different biomes in Grand Theft Auto 6. In 2002's Vice City, beaches, cities, and swamps all feel bland in retrospect, nearly indistinguishable from one another, but this is fortunately no longer the case. Some players will likely find their cars sinking into the marshy waters after driving off a bridge thanks to the distraction of the stunning skyline.

1 The Buildings In GTA 6 Look More Like Real Photographs

Higher Level Of Detail & Better Lighting

Of everything to receive a colossal upgrade from GTA: Vice City to Grand Theft Auto 6, the buildings may be the most impressive. What were once giant rectangles painted over to look like a building now resemble skyscrapers brimming with intricate detail. The palm trees out front also sway in the wind and feel more alive than ever, whereas previously they were nothing more than brown sticks with green straws on top. All but a few buildings in the original Vice City were off limits to players, but many more structures in GTA 6 are likely to be just as lively on the inside.

After years of GTA 6 leaks teasing major enhancements and robust new features, it's overdue to finally have official material from the reveal trailer to parse. The next entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise may be the most anticipated game in history, and after Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5, it has a lot to live up to. As long as Rockstar Games doesn't stray away from what made GTA such a beloved property in the first place, Grand Theft Auto 6 could be the biggest and most successful game of all time.