For over 25 years Rockstar Games has continued to expand its acclaimedGrand Theft Autoseries by pushing the boundaries of gameplay and good storytelling in games. As a result, recent entries in the franchise have received nearly as much praise for their narratives as for the open-world mayhem on offer. But as it continuesdevelopment onGrand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar should consider revisiting a narrative framework from the series’ past to help move the series forward.
WhileGrand Theft Auto’s mainline titles typically grab the most attention from gamers, some of the series’ most interesting entries have been spin-offs and side stories. From the well-received expansion packs released forGTA 4, which saw players taking a much-needed break from bowling with cousin Roman to step into the shoes of two new protagonists, to recent experiments withstory-based missions inGrand Theft Auto Online, Rockstar has never been afraid to try something new with narrative. By taking cues from two such spin-offs,Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesandVice City Stories, Rockstar could not only pay tribute to the series’ past but also grow the world of the upcomingGTA 6.
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A New Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories Could Grow the World of GTA 6
Initially released for Sony’s PlayStation Portable in the 2000s,Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesandVice CityStoriesserved as prequels toGTA IIIandGTA: Vice Cityrespectively. This let players revisit the titular cities while also gaining a new perspective on people and places they’d come to know in the mainline games. Growing the world of the upcomingGTA 6by developing a modern-day successor toGTA: Vice City Storiescould continue this trend and allow Rockstar to fully flesh out the world of the game.
WithGrand Theft Auto 6supposedly set in the modern day, Rockstar could follow the lead of the originalGTA: Liberty City Storiesand set the successor shortly before the main story. Keeping the timeline closer toGTA 5’s mid-2000s setting could open the door for some fan-favorite characters from that game to make cameos appearances, likely drawn to Vice City by the appeal of easy profits. Rockstar could alsomakeGTA: Vice City Storiesa period pieceset decades before the events ofGTA 6. Letting players revisit a mid-80s Vice City to see how some ofGTA 6’s characters began their rise to power could be interesting from a narrative perspective and also serve as great fanservice.
A Grand Theft Auto ‘Stories’ Spin-Off Could Take Different Forms
Rather than releasing a newGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Storiesas a standalone game, Rockstar could also make the prequel an entirely new mode available inGTA Online. Discussingthe future ofGTA Online, Rockstar developers recently reiterated the platform’s importance to the franchise. Creating a fully fleshed-outGTA: Vice CityStoriesplayable online with friends could be a great way to showcase the developer’s commitment toGTA Onlinewhile also iterating on content that’s come before.
Rockstar could also skip Vice City altogether and, instead, return to the spinoff series’ roots with an updatedGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. While this would obviously require far more work than simply retooling existing assets fromGTA 6for an updatedVice City Stories,it could provide a welcome change of pace from the sun-soaked streets of Vice City. Letting playersrevisitGTA’s Liberty Cityfor the first time in over a decade would also provide a tangible link to the location that kickstarted the modern era of the franchise.
Whether a strictly solo experience or aGTA Onlineadventure to play with friends, the time is right for a modern successor to titles likeGrand Theft Auto: Vice Stories.By taking some narrative cues from the well-loved spin-offs and letting players once again experience the side stories of the cities at the franchise’s core, Rockstar could help ensure that the franchise continues to innovate while also paying tribute toGrand Theft Auto’s past.
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