The most iconic part of every GTA game is the map. They are the most visible feature, playing a large part in shaping the distinctive character of each game. They are the sandbox on which the missions, story, and free-roam experience are built.
One thing Rockstar used to do well was encourage players to savour their maps. Since GTA 3, players would start on one island, complete chapter one, move to the next island, and so on. This process made great use of each area of every map. Players grew familiar with the streets, buildings, and shortcuts in one area before moving on to the next.
This made the maps feel bigger than they were. They were revealed gradually throughout each playthrough, drawing out the discovery process for as long as possible. It also helped players appreciate the detail that went into Rockstar’s worlds.
This changed with GTA V. The first mission in Los Santos takes players on a high-speed ride through the heart of the city—just like that, a vast portion of the map was revealed, immediately dispersing much of the mystery players such as myself would prefer to extend for as long as possible.
The following missions take us all over the city. The game urges us from one corner of the city to another, then to another corner—often in high-speed chase sequences. Each district blurs together, even if they are distinct in their details. There is no focus, no time to settle into a corner of the city and get to know it well. You cannot savour the map because the game throws the entire thing at you at once.
Rockstar leaves only the countryside to anticipation. But that quickly changes when the Trevor chapter begins. The first mission has us circumnavigate the lake. We are never given the time to wonder what might be on the other side. The next few missions focus on Shady Sands and Grapeseed, and then we are sent across the hills to Los Santos.
And just like that, we have visited every major region of the map. What remains are small corners like Paleto Bay, the tops of the mountains, and country roads that take you to the places you’ve already been to.
Having waited five years for GTA 5, I found this disappointing. After such a long wait, players like me had wanted to savour the map and delay its full reveal for as long as possible. The expansive mission spread and character-switching mechanic made this impossible.
Considering GTA 6 will have been 12 years in the making by the time it comes out, I would appreciate it if the entire map were not revealed to me within the first few hours. If we will be stuck with GTA 6’s map for another 15 or even 20 years, I would like to take my time with it as I would with a good meal—not stuff my face as if I were starving.
Some people dislike being restricted to certain regions of maps against their will. Some people found it irritating that entering a locked island in previous games gave them a 5-star wanted level. While I disagree, this feature would not be necessary if the mission structure supported a gradual map reveal for those who wish to take their time.
Red Dead Redemption 2 did this well. The game is neatly divided into chapters, each focusing on one region of the massive game world. Side missions do occasionally take the player far away, but those are easily ignored until the main story takes you to those areas.
For this reason, I did not enter the city of Saint Denis until chapter 4 of the main story, after I’d been playing for 20 or 30 hours. The introductory cutscene, Dutch’s commentary, and dismal music made the city’s reveal much more effectual than if I had wandered in during the first few hours of the game. My time in the wilderness caused me to perceive the city as a strange, alien, and claustrophobic place—as it was supposed to.
Likewise, the reveal of the green plains en route to Horseshoe Overlook was powerful because the several hours-long prologue occurs in the snowy mountains. Coming down from the mountains would have been less impactful, and the perception of the map smaller, if we had already visited the lowlands, the northern forests, Saint Denis, and the deserts south of Blackwater several times before the move to Horseshoe Overlook.
Ideally, GTA 6’s missions would show the same restraint as Red Dead 2. Rather than race us across every corner of the map, give us the time to become familiar with each area of the map. Have us robbing stores in some small town before moving us on to another area and then another before eventually taking us to Vice City. It would be a brave decision on Rockstar’s part to delay Vice City’s reveal by a dozen or so hours. But it would also be awesome.
Sure, some people will race to Vice City the first chance they get. But I won’t be one of them.
If GTA 6 starts in Vice City, have us explore one district at a time. Delay our journey to other parts of Leonida for as long as possible. Let me wonder what is out there—don’t shove it in my face with the haste of an overly enthusiastic child who can’t wait to show me what he made at school. (Yes, your multi-billion dollar map is nice, Rocky-poo, but can it please wait till after dinner?)
How exactly Rockstar reveals the map will depend on the story—where the characters begin and where the story takes them. Perhaps Lucia’s ankle bracelet will serve as a travel restriction mechanic. Perhaps the two protagonists are initially separated and we swap between them. This latter possibility poses a danger to my hope of a slow map reveal, but it could still work so long as the two characters aren’t racing across the country every other mission.