Rockstar Developers Met with Real Criminals and Spent a Decade Studying Miami Residents for GTA VI

Rockstar Games conducted years of on-the-ground field research, interviewed real-world figures, and partnered with local street artists to shape the world and characters of Grand Theft Auto VI, according to a preview published by Dazed magazine.

Known for its meticulous attention to detail, Rockstar followed an extensive research process for the upcoming installment. Senior Art Director for Character Art Jamie-Lee Lloyd explained that developers spoke directly with former criminals, police officers, and other community figures to capture authentic personalities:

We’ll meet with former criminals, law enforcement, club promoters, gun runners, and any other notable or impactful people who will speak to us. We hang out, soak up the atmosphere of the place, listen to their stories…

Trailers for Grand Theft Auto VI previously highlighted eccentric characters inspired by the real-world Florida Man internet meme. GTA VI writer Michael Wiafe noted that the studio aimed to move beyond surface-level parody:

It’s easy to come in with a cynical eye and say, ‘Well, this looks weird—let’s put that in the game,’ but we couldn’t just leave it at that. We also have to bring players a sense of discovery, rather than simply repeating existing clichés.

This process required a decade of field research. A dedicated Rockstar research team spent years visiting and documenting Miami and surrounding areas to map out defining visual markers and regional nuances.

Rockstar also recruited more than 50 real street artists to paint murals throughout the in-game world. Additionally, the team handling vehicle mechanics and physics includes professional racing drivers.

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has not yet announced a release window for the PC version.

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