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Grand Theft Auto VI screenshot shows characters inside a neon-lit strip club environment with dancers and patrons.

GTA 6 devs researched Florida life with strip clubs and beach trips

GamesRadar+ reported that Rockstar developers spent years visiting Florida locations, including nightlife venues, beaches, the Everglades and the Keys, while researching GTA 6’s Leonida setting.

ReportedFiled 3 min readImage: Rockstar Games

Overview

Reported GamesRadar+ reported on September 29, 2026 that Rockstar developers took research trips for GTA 6 and spoke with Game Informer about visiting real Florida locations. Rockstar senior vice president of narrative Rupert Humphries said the team experienced different parts of the state, including nightlife areas, beaches, the Everglades and the Keys.

Reported The report says the research was used to help build Leonida, the fictional state where GTA 6 takes place. Humphries said the team wanted players to explore places with different cultures and lifestyles across the setting.

Key facts

  • Reported Original report: GamesRadar+ published the report after citing Game Informer’s interview with Rockstar senior vice president of narrative Rupert Humphries.
  • Reported Research trips: According to GamesRadar+, Rockstar developers visited Florida locations including strip clubs, nightclubs, beaches, the Everglades and the Keys.
  • Reported Rockstar source: Rupert Humphries said the team tried to experience many parts of the setting while researching GTA 6.
  • Reported Launch timeline: GTA 6 is scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S according to the game’s release information on Leonida Now.

Rockstar’s Florida research trips

Reported GamesRadar+ reported that Rockstar used real-world trips as reference work for GTA 6. The report quoted Rupert Humphries describing visits that included riding with former police officers at night, going to nightlife venues, spending time at beaches, visiting the Everglades and traveling through the Keys.

Reported The report connected these trips to Rockstar’s effort to build a Florida-inspired world with different communities and locations. Humphries said GTA 6’s stories work in a place where wealthy and poorer areas exist close together, with crime and corruption connecting those parts of Leonida.

What this adds to Leonida

Reported IGN Daily Fix and IGN Southeast Asia covered the same Rockstar interview on October 1, 2026, focusing on the detail that developers visited real strip clubs as part of their research. IGN’s coverage described the visits as part of Rockstar’s wider work on a modern Florida-inspired setting.

Our read Our read is that the research details fit with the locations already shown across Rockstar’s official material. GTA 6 combines Vice City nightlife with areas such as the Leonida Keys, rural spaces and communities outside the city.

What players still do not know

Reported The reports do not reveal specific missions, activities or locations created directly from these research trips. Rockstar has not confirmed which real-world venues or experiences were recreated in GTA 6.

Our read We think the main takeaway is about world building rather than a new feature announcement. The research explains part of Rockstar’s process, but it does not confirm new gameplay systems before the November 19, 2026 release.

Context

Our read This story connects to earlier coverage of Rockstar’s Florida research for GTA 6, including the Game Informer cover story and the wider details around Leonida’s creation. The same preview cycle has covered weather, wildlife and the setting’s regions before launch.

Our read

Our read Rockstar’s research trips give more detail on how the studio built Leonida, but the reports do not add confirmed missions or mechanics. The useful player detail is that the setting was built from visits to real Florida environments as well as Rockstar’s own fictional ideas.

Questions

Did Rockstar confirm that GTA 6 developers visited strip clubs?

Reported No direct Rockstar public announcement was provided in these reports. GamesRadar+ reported the detail from Game Informer’s interview with Rockstar senior vice president of narrative Rupert Humphries, and IGN later covered the same claim.

What places did Rockstar research for GTA 6?

Reported GamesRadar+ reported visits to nightlife locations, beaches, the Everglades, the Keys and nighttime drives with former police officers.

Does this confirm a new GTA 6 feature?

Reported No. The reports describe research methods and do not confirm a new gameplay feature.

Pictures

Grand Theft Auto VI artwork features Vice City characters, vehicles and locations including a nightclub scene connected to the game world.
Grand Theft Auto VI artwork features Vice City characters, vehicles and locations including a nightclub scene connected to the game world. Image: Rockstar Games

In the wiki

Confirmed6 min readLeonidaLeonida is the fictional US state where GTA 6 is set, in six regions from Vice City to Mount Kalaga. Rockstar has published no map, and previews put it at about twice GTA V's.Confirmed4 min readLeonida KeysThe Leonida Keys are the islands off Leonida's southern tip: Jason Duval's home turf, Brian Heder's boat yard, the Rusty Anchor bar and reefs for scuba diving.Confirmed6 min readVice CityVice City is Leonida's biggest city and the heart of GTA 6: Ocean Beach, Little Cuba, the Tisha-Wocka flea market and VC Port. Previews say it is about twice the size of Los Santos.Confirmed5 min readLucia CaminosLucia Caminos is one of GTA 6’s two leads: taught to fight by her father, jailed in the Leonida Penitentiary for fighting for her family, and out with a plan to win the good life her mother dreamed of.Confirmed6 min readJason DuvalJason Duval is one of GTA 6’s two leads: an Army veteran raised among grifters who runs jobs for drug smugglers in the Leonida Keys, lives rent-free on Brian Heder’s property and teams up with Lucia.