GTA Vice City vs GTA 6: Comparing Both Vice Cities
Vice City is making its full return in Grand Theft Auto VI, more than two decades after the original 2002 game defined it. Here’s how the two versions compare.
Time Period: ’80s Nostalgia vs Modern Day
The original Vice City was deliberately set in the 1980s, built around neon aesthetics and a synth-heavy soundtrack (see our full retrospective). GTA 6 takes a different approach, setting its version of Vice City in the modern day — trading retro nostalgia for a grounded, contemporary take on Miami-inspired culture.
Scale: A Single City vs an Entire State
The original Vice City was contained largely to the city itself and its immediate surroundings. GTA 6 expands this dramatically, placing Vice City within the larger fictional state of Leonida, reportedly the largest map in series history — see our full GTA 6 map guide for details.
Protagonist: Tommy Vercetti vs Jason and Lucia
The original starred a single protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, navigating the city’s criminal underworld alone. GTA 6 introduces two protagonists, Jason and Lucia, in a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style partnership — see our characters guide for more.
The Vintage Vice City Pack: A Direct Nod
Rockstar has directly acknowledged the original’s legacy through GTA 6’s pre-order bonus — the Vintage Vice City Pack, which includes a weapon skin inspired by Tommy Vercetti’s iconic tropical shirt. See our full breakdown of the pack.
Technology: A Generational Leap
Beyond setting and story, the technical gap between the two games is enormous — GTA 6 features ray-traced lighting, strand-based hair, and dynamic clothing physics, detailed in our graphics and tech guide, none of which existed as concepts when the original Vice City released in 2002.
Why This Comparison Matters
For longtime fans, GTA 6’s Vice City isn’t just a new setting — it’s a full-circle moment for the series, revisiting its most iconic location with over two decades of technological and design evolution behind it.
Quick Facts Recap
- Original Vice City: 1980s setting, single city, single protagonist (2002)
- GTA 6 Vice City: Modern-day setting, part of the larger Leonida state, two protagonists (2026)
- Direct connection: Vintage Vice City Pack pre-order bonus references the original