Fans often say GTA VI returns to Vice City. That is true, but the city has a longer story than the 2002 game. This article follows the place itself, not the whole series. For the full list of main games, see our series timeline. Facts checked on October 9, 2026.
Key takeaways
- Vice City first appeared in the original 1997 game, as one of three cities.
- The 2002 game redesigned it as a Florida-style city set in 1986.
- Vice City Stories (2006) went back to 1984 in the same setting.
- GTA VI places a present-day Vice City inside the state of Leonida.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1997 | The original Grand Theft Auto includes Vice City, based on Miami, as one of its three cities. |
| October 29, 2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City releases, set in 1986. |
| 2006 | Vice City Stories reuses the city in a prequel set in 1984. It was later ported to PlayStation 2. |
| 2012 | Vice City comes to iOS and Android for its tenth anniversary. |
| November 11, 2021 | The Trilogy: The Definitive Edition releases with a remastered Vice City. |
| December 5, 2023 | The first GTA VI trailer shows a modern Vice City in Leonida. |
| December 14, 2023 | The Definitive Edition arrives on Android and iOS. |
| November 19, 2026 | GTA VI is scheduled to launch. |
What changed over the years
In 1997 the city was seen from above, with one big landmass and a small island. In 2002 it became a full 3D playground with beaches, bridges and islands, and it was placed in Florida. The 2006 prequel reused the map with changes for an earlier year.
In GTA VI, Vice City is described as a city in the fictional state of Leonida, again inspired by Miami. It is the seat of a county based on Miami-Dade, and Vice Beach is reported to be its own city with its own police, like Miami Beach. Per Wikipedia, this is a present-day setting, not the 1980s.
What stays the same
- The Miami inspiration: sun, neon, beaches and nightlife.
- The name and the idea of a big, flashy city with a criminal side.
What we do not know
Rockstar has not said how many old places return, or whether past characters appear. Fan guesses on that are only guesses.
Next steps
To see how the new Vice City looks, read the Extended Look guide and visit the GTA 6 hub.
