GTA 6 map size is so big it rivals GTA 4, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2's combined – and Rockstar devs are still discovering places they've never seen
"It's insane," fans say
GTA 6 isn't just gearing up to be one of the biggest game launches in history – it might just be one of the biggest games, period, with a map that's twice as big as its predecessor's.
Rockstar tells Edge as much as part of its exclusive cover story, revealing that the total land mass – including both Vice City and its surrounding areas – is almost as big as the playable maps that GTA 4, 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2 boast… combined.
That's downright massive, to say the least, but it's made all the more impressive by the sheer amount of detail to it. The world is set to feel alive and immersive at every turn.,
Aaron Garbut, head of development and co-studio lead, confirms as much, stating that GTA 6 has "an order of magnitude more interiors" than older Grand Theft Auto entries, including the fifth.
"Every back alley is as densely detailed and interesting as the others. You can go anywhere, any random location, and so many people have thought about that location."
Heck, after years of exploring himself, Garbut states he's still discovering places he's never seen.
Rockstar Games tells GamesRadar the GTAVI map is "is nearly as large as the playable maps of GTAIV, GTAV and RDR2 combined"from r/GTA6unmoderated
Unsurprisingly, news of the game's mind-boggling size has reached online forums.
Over on Reddit, folks are reacting to the prospect of such a large map in GTA 6, with some drawing comparisons to Red Dead Redemption 2 and how it "has a lot of locked doors for as sparsely populated with dwellings the game is" – an issue the new GTA apparently won't suffer from itself with all those "interiors" Garbut makes mention of.
One commenter shares their disbelief at the size, writing, "I still can't scarcely believe this is running on PS5 and Xbox Series X. It's insane how big it is."
It is quite a thought, admittedly, considering the behemoth is running on consoles that are now a solid six years old, but the GTA 6 extended look on Netflix showed it in action back in August. Plus, as somebody points out, "GTA 5 for the PS3 and Xbox 360 was a similar feat at the time."
There's no telling how the community will find the huge map until GTA 6 finally releases next month – but regardless, it's undeniably one of the biggest new games underway.
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
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