Summary
While the online gaming community is still reeling from the surprise early release of the first trailer forGrand Theft Auto 6, many viewers have realized the insane level of detail Rockstar has included in the game. Not only doesGrand Theft Auto 6look like the most graphically impressive game in the franchise to date, but the world of Leonida seems to include many details that reference the real-life state of Florida. To showcase this setting, theGTA 6reveal trailer included several references to iconic Florida memes and viral real-life images and videos from the state.
While the main focus of the trailer was showcasingGTA 6’s protagonist Luciaand her yet-unnamed boyfriend in the game’s Bonny and Clyde-inspired story, there was still a hefty amount of world-building around the state of Leonida and the iconicGTAlocation of Vice City. To help flesh out this world, Rockstar continued the series' trend of designing its setting after real-world locations, putting a fictional twist on some major US cities. Given how infamous Florida is for its memes about “Florida Man” and other viral media that have come from the state, it’s not surprising that Rockstar chose to reference these real-world details in theGTA 6trailer.
All Florida Memes and Real-Life References in the GTA 6 Trailer
Florida Memes
Out of all the states in the US, Florida is likely the source of the most meme material, and frequent internet users are likely familiar with some of the stereotypes of the state. From the classic “Florida Man” headlines to the influencer lifestyle of Miami, as well as the penchant for finding alligators in places they shouldn’t be, mostGTAfans probably already have an image of what life in Florida is like based on these memes. As such, it makes sense that Rockstar would lean into the weird and wacky stereotypes of the state when developingGTA 6’s Leonida.
From what can be seen in theGTA 6reveal trailer, residents of Leonida have to deal with gators just like Floridians, as can be seen by one shot of someone fighting off a gator in a swimming pool, or another where a gator can be seen entering a convenience store. Both of these scenes reference real-life images from Florida where residents have found gators in unexpected places, such as their backyard pool or their local Walmart. The trailer also references the iconic “Florida Man” meme by showing a naked man watering his lawn, a reference to the real headline “Florida Man Does Yard Work Naked.”
Real Life References
As a way of making theworld ofGTA 6feel more alive, the trailer also includes a handful of shots of what appears to be viral videos being shared via social media sites like TikTok and Instagram Reels. These scenes also appear to be referencing real-world viral videos, such as the one of a woman holding hammers in her hands, though her real-world counterpart is from Los Angeles, not Miami. Another scene shows a woman riding on top of a speeding car, showcasing that the kinds of stunts influencers in Vice City pull are similar to those of real-world Miami as this shot references a similar viral video.
Reddit user Bradbrad7 has compiled a showcase comparing these references to their real-world counterparts. These references also include a shot of a character who appears to be based on the man known as “Florida Joker” whose mugshot went viral in 2017.
It’s also interesting that given how many of these shots in theGTA 6trailer appear to be depicted through the lens of social media apps, it’s possible popular sites likeTikTok could be referenced inGTA 6as well with their own in-game counterparts players will be able to utilize.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
