GTA 6 Vice City vs the Original GTA Vice City: What's New, What's Familiar

GTA 6 Vice City is the reason half the internet is suddenly rewatching 1980s crime dramas. Rockstar's next game takes the series back to its most stylish city, and at the time of writing (September 2026) the GTA 6 release date is locked in for November 19, 2026. If you grew up on the 2002 original, or you only know it from memes, this is the perfect moment to look at what has been confirmed, how a modern Vice City is likely to differ from the neon 1986 version, and why the old game is still worth your time.

We keep this guide strictly to confirmed facts. Anything that is a comparison or an expectation is labelled that way, and we have left out rumours and leaks entirely. And if the countdown is getting to you, you can play GTA Vice City unblocked in a browser tab right now and revisit the city before Rockstar rebuilds it.

GTA 6 Vice City: What Is Actually Confirmed

Rockstar has been famously quiet about GTA VI, so the list of hard facts is shorter than the amount of discussion would suggest. Here is what has been officially shown or announced:

• Setting: the fictional state of Leonida, which includes a modern-day Vice City.
• Protagonists: Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, the pair at the centre of both trailers.
• Trailers: the first trailer arrived on December 5, 2023, and the second on May 6, 2025.
• Platforms: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC release date has been announced.
• Release date: November 19, 2026.

That is the core of it. Details like the exact map size, the full radio line-up, or how missions are structured have not been confirmed, so treat any specific numbers you see floating around social media with caution.

When Is the GTA 6 Release Date?

The road to launch has not been smooth. GTA VI was originally targeted for fall 2025. Rockstar then moved it to May 26, 2026, and later pushed it again to November 19, 2026, which is the date that stands at the time of writing (September 2026).

Milestone	Date
Trailer 1	December 5, 2023
Trailer 2	May 6, 2025
Original launch window	Fall 2025 (delayed)
Second release date	May 26, 2026 (delayed)
Current release date	November 19, 2026 - PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

Two delays are frustrating, but they also mean there is plenty of time left to finish the original. The full 2002 storyline is very doable in a couple of months of casual evenings, and our GTA Vice City story and ending explained guide gives you the whole plot if you would rather catch up fast.

Is GTA 6 in Vice City, or Somewhere Bigger?

Both. The question "is GTA 6 in Vice City" has a slightly more interesting answer than a simple yes. The GTA 6 map is Leonida, a whole fictional state, and Vice City is one part of it. That is a structural change from 2002, when Vice City was the entire game world.

The closest comparison inside the series is San Andreas, which also used a state containing several cities and the countryside between them. The original Vice City was a Miami-inspired city on two main islands; Leonida is widely read as Rockstar's take on Florida as a whole. In other words, the city you remember is coming back, but it now sits inside a much larger playground.

Is it the same Vice City?

It is the same name and the same inspiration, but not the same era. The original is set in 1986. GTA VI's Vice City is a present-day city, so expect modern cars, phones and social media culture where the old game had Cheetahs, pagers and Hawaiian shirts. Rockstar has not said whether specific 1986 landmarks return, so we are not going to guess.

GTA 6 vs GTA Vice City: Side-by-Side

Here is a clear-eyed GTA 6 vs GTA Vice City comparison. The left column is established fact about the 2002 game. The right column mixes confirmed GTA VI facts with clearly marked expectations.

What a Modern Vice City Could Change

Everything in this section is comparison and expectation, not leaked detail. It is based on how the 1986 game worked and what the two official trailers have shown.

From one anti-hero to a duo

Tommy Vercetti is a lone operator. He arrives with a debt, trusts almost nobody, and by the end of the story he trusts even fewer people. GTA VI centres on a pair, Lucia and Jason, which naturally shifts the emotional core of the story towards partnership and loyalty. If you want to see how Rockstar handled loyalty the first time around, the Tommy and Lance Vance relationship in the original is the obvious reference point.

From 80s film homage to modern satire

The original Vice City borrowed heavily from 1980s crime cinema and television: the suits, the synth score, the drug-lord mansion. GTA series satire has always mirrored its era, so a present-day Vice City is expected to aim that humour at the things that define now - viral videos, influencers and the way everything ends up online.

From a radio dial to a culture machine

Vice City's radio is one of the most loved soundtracks in gaming. Flash FM, V-Rock, Wave 103 and Emotion 98.3 did more to sell 1986 than any cutscene. Rockstar has not revealed GTA VI's stations, but music will almost certainly play a similar role in selling the modern setting. Our GTA Vice City soundtrack and radio stations guide is a good refresher on how high that bar is.

From two islands to a whole state

Vice City in 2002 was compact enough that you could learn it by heart. A state-sized map should mean more variety - wetlands, small towns, highways - but also less of that intimate, every-street-is-familiar feeling. That is exactly why the original is worth replaying now: it is the concentrated version of the city.

Play GTA Vice City While Waiting for GTA 6

If you want to play GTA Vice City while waiting for GTA 6, you do not need an old PS2 or a dusty PC install. On SchoolBros you can launch the Vice City player in a normal browser tab. It runs reVC, a reverse-engineered rebuild of the Vice City engine compiled to WebAssembly, so there is no installer and no plugin. If you are curious how that works under the hood, our GTA Vice City in your browser overview explains it.

• Controls: keyboard and mouse, or a USB or Bluetooth gamepad. You can even use your phone as a controller - see the controls and phone controller guide.
• Saves: stored in your browser's local storage, so come back in the same browser and do not clear site data.
• Chromebooks: it runs in modern Chrome, but performance depends on your hardware. If it stutters, our Chromebook lag fix guide has practical settings to try.

The site is free and ad-supported. If you are playing on a school device, keep it to breaks and free time and follow your school's rules.

A quick "prep" plan

1. Get reacquainted with the streets. Spend your first session just driving. Our GTA Vice City map and districts guide breaks down both islands.
2. Play the story. The rise of Tommy Vercetti is the best context you can have for Rockstar's return. If a mission stalls you, the guide to the hardest Vice City missions has tactics for each.
3. Mess around. Once the credits roll, the full list of GTA Vice City cheat codes turns the city into a sandbox - tanks, flying cars and all.
4. Hunt the secrets. Vice City is packed with in-jokes and odd details; our Vice City easter eggs, secrets and myths guide separates the real ones from playground rumours.

Landmarks to Revisit Before November

Whatever Rockstar keeps or changes, these are the places that defined the original city. Visiting them now gives you a reference point for spotting nods and differences when GTA VI launches.

• Ocean Beach and the Ocean View Hotel. Where Tommy's story starts: pastel hotels, palm trees and the beachfront strip that became the image of the whole game.
• The Malibu Club in Vice Point. The nightclub that becomes one of Tommy's businesses and the base for a heist storyline.
• Starfish Island and the Vercetti Estate. The mansion at the heart of the story, and the setting for its finale.
• Downtown. The skyline you see from everywhere on the map, and a chaotic grid for car chases.
• Little Havana and Little Haiti. Gang territory for the Cubans and Haitians, and home to several of the businesses Tommy can buy.
• Escobar International Airport. The longest runways in the city - ideal for testing the fastest cars in our Vice City vehicles guide.

Driving these routes with the radio on is the fastest way to remember why people have waited so long for a return trip.

Beyond Vice City: More Games for the Countdown

If you want variety between Vice City sessions, SchoolBros has plenty of other classics that run in a browser tab. Our roundup of GTA-style unblocked games that work in a browser is a natural next stop, and our list of the best unblocked games to play at school covers everything from racers to puzzlers. For something faster and louder, you can play DOOM unblocked, or just browse the full games library.

GTA 6 Vice City FAQ

Is GTA 6 set in Vice City?

Yes. Rockstar has confirmed that GTA VI takes place in the fictional state of Leonida, and a modern-day Vice City is part of that state. Vice City is one location within a wider map rather than the entire game.

What is the GTA 6 release date?

At the time of writing (September 2026), GTA VI is scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It was previously delayed from fall 2025 to May 26, 2026, and then to November 19, 2026.

Is GTA 6 coming to PC?

No PC release date has been announced at the time of writing. The confirmed launch platforms are PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Who are the main characters in GTA 6?

The confirmed protagonists are Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval. The original GTA: Vice City had a single protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, voiced by Ray Liotta.

Is GTA 6 a remake of GTA Vice City?

No. GTA VI is a new game with new characters and a present-day setting. It returns to Vice City as a location, but it is not a remake of the 2002 game, which is set in 1986.

Can I play the original GTA Vice City while waiting for GTA 6?

Yes. The SchoolBros player runs the reVC engine, a reverse-engineered rebuild of Vice City compiled to WebAssembly, in a normal browser tab with no installer. You can use keyboard and mouse or a gamepad, and saves are kept in your browser's local storage.