Grand Theft Auto 6 Can Shoot for the Moon in One Regard

Summary

Grand Theft Auto 6is slated to come out next year, and naturally, it’s already one of the most highly anticipated game releases ever.GTA 6’s reveal trailer shined a light on its protagonists, stunning modern rendition of Vice City, and narrative premise, giving players a glimpse of its tone and general story foundations.

Plenty of ink has been spilledaboutGTA 6’s plot, multiplayer component, and gameplay mechanics, with speculation generally running rampant. But perhaps more important than any of these individual points is how Vice City functions as an open-world. With players returning to the fictional city after so many years, and withGTA 4andGTA 5launching in the interim, it’s safe to say thatGTA 6’s Vice City is going to be a considerable upgrade from its 2002 counterpart, much like howGTA 5’s rendition of San Andreas was an evolution of the titular 2004 game. With this in mind, and considering Vice City’s Floridian influences, there’s a wealth of opportunity for inventive open-world design.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 Shouldn’t Shy Away from Florida’s Space Industry

GTA 6 Could Take Inspiration from the Kennedy Space Center

It goes without saying thatGTA 6will feature unique side activities, many of which will no doubt be informed by perceptions of real-world Florida culture. GivenGTA’s satirical nature, players can expect to bump into alligator-related conundrums and plenty of ‘Florida-man’ antics, but the panhandle state isn’t all gators and eccentric locals.

One of Florida’s greatest points of pride is the Kennedy Space Center, located in Cape Canaveral. A major NASA spaceport, the KSC is a key venue for astronomical research and shuttle launches, utilized by both government agencies and private corporations like SpaceX. For many, the KSC is a testament to human ingenuity and scientific ambition, butGTA’s over-the-top charmmeans that this iconic location can be featured in a decidedly less sober way.

Going Beyond Planes and Helicopters in GTA 6

If Rockstar wants to elevateGTA’s infamous open-world activities, then the Kennedy Space Center may provide one golden opportunity: the chance to hijack high-propulsion spacecraft. Of course, this would be a completely ridiculous inclusion—it’s not like spacecraft are left unattended on launch pads for anyone to climb into, for one thing—butGTA 6’s wild tonelooks more in line withGTA 5thanGTA 4. That is to say, it may benefit from leaning into absurdity, if this benefits its unique open-world gameplay.

The Kennedy Space Center also launches cutting-edge, high-speed jets, which could also perhaps be stolen by players.

Such an idea would be mostly hinged on novelty, to be sure, as a full-blown trip into outer space may be a bit too far-fetched even forGrand Theft Auto. But it would work well as an open-world gimmick: open-world appeal is usually predicated on the ever-present notion of ‘go anywhere, do anything,’ so allowing players to fulfill the absurd fantasy of hopping into a rocket and flying it for a few minutes would add meaningful, gratifying interactivity toGTA6’s version of Vice City. Even if players can only pilot these spacecraft for a few minutes before being shot down, it would be an interesting way to reward those looking to take the risk and experiment with the open-world sandbox, while fleshing out the game’s map via the real-world Cape Canaveral influence.

Again,Grand Theft Autohas never been about realism. EvenGTA 4, the series' most grounded entry, is totally implausible in many ways, showing a satirical reflection of the American dream instead of relying on verisimilitude. Simply put, ifGTA 6is going to be ridiculous and unbelievable, as is the series' custom, then it should go all the way, and some spacecraft shenanigans would be a setting-appropriate way to do just that.