Is GTA 6 in the same universe as GTA 5?

Yes — GTA 6 is part of the same "HD Universe" continuity as GTA IV, GTA V, and Red Dead Redemption 2. It's a new, separate story within that shared universe, not a direct crossover.

Is this the same time period as the original Vice City?

No. The original 2002 game was set in 1986. GTA 6 is present-day, and belongs to a different continuity entirely — see above.

GTA 6 Setting & Timeline

GTA 6's Story pillar covers the premise; this page goes deeper on where and when it actually takes place — including how Leonida connects (and doesn't connect) to Rockstar's other games.

A New Story, Not a Remake

GTA 6 sits within Rockstar's "HD Universe" — the same continuity as Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V, and Red Dead Redemption 2. The original 2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City belongs to an earlier, separate continuity entirely. That's the concrete reason GTA 6 isn't a sequel or remake of the original game: they don't share a timeline or characters, only a city.

Present-Day, Not Retro

Where the 2002 Vice City was a deliberate 1980s period piece, GTA 6 is set in the present day. The neon aesthetic that defines Vice City visually is a stylistic throughline for the series, not a signal that this is another period piece — trailer footage shows modern vehicles, smartphones, and contemporary culture throughout.

A Bigger World Than the City Alone

Vice City is the centerpiece, but the timeline and setting extend across the full state of Leonida — wetlands, coastline, and highland terrain surrounding the city itself. Both trailers show significantly more open water, rivers, and rural terrain than GTA 5's map contained. We're not attaching a specific size figure to that comparison — see our Map & World hub for exactly why: no official measurement has been released, and most of the numbers circulating online are community estimates, not Rockstar figures.