Welcome to Leonida: The Swampy, Sun-Soaked Chaos of GTA VI

Rockstar isn’t just giving us a return to Vice City—they’re unleashing an entire fever dream of a state called Leonida. Modeled after Florida and drenched in neon, sweat, and absolute lawlessness, this might be the most unhinged, sunburnt open world the Grand Theft Auto series has ever seen. And if you thought the trailer was packed with details, wait until you see what Rockstar quietly dropped on their website. Spoiler: it’s a goldmine for lore nerds and chaos-hungry fans alike.

While Vice City is clearly the glamorous centerpiece—the drug-soaked, neon-lit playground of the rich, reckless, and ridiculous—it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Leonida stretches far beyond those city limits. There’s Ambrosia, an industrial, soot-streaked mess of a town built around a massive sugar refinery and crawling with biker gangs. It’s the kind of place that smells like gasoline and bad decisions. Then you’ve got the Cayos de Leonida, which clearly riffs off the Florida Keys: think million-dollar yachts, clear waters, suspiciously tan millionaires, and enough cartel activity to keep a helicopter circling overhead at all times.

For those who prefer something more dangerous than luxury, there’s Grassrivers—a hot, mosquito-infested swampland that looks like it could swallow you whole. Inspired by the Everglades, this is where Rockstar’s more feral ideas flourish. Mount Kalaga National Park brings a different flavor to the state, offering rocky peaks and thick forests that look perfect for cliff-jumping, hiding bodies, or both. And then there’s Port Gellhorn, a crime-ridden dockside sprawl filled with drug traffickers and bad vibes. It's less “fun in the sun” and more “fun until someone pulls a machete.”

Of course, this wild new world needs a cast to match, and Rockstar has delivered. While Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval are clearly the stars of the show—two desperate souls trying to survive and maybe even thrive in a world that wants them dead—Leonida is packed with other colorful characters who are bound to complicate things. Cal Hampton, Jason’s friend, is the type of guy who drinks beer at 10 a.m. and shouts about government satellites from his couch. Then there’s Boobie Ike, who used to run the streets and now runs a strip club, a real estate racket, and a recording studio—because why not do it all?

Dre’Quan Priest has clawed his way up from the street corner to become a high-profile music producer. He runs Only Raw Records and has the attitude (and Instagram presence) to prove it. He recently signed a rap duo called Real Dimez—Bae-Luxe and Roxy—who are loud, slick, and already internet-famous for their lyrics and outfits. They’re not just in the background; they feel like characters who might steal entire missions (and scenes) from the leads.

On the seedier side of things, we meet Raúl Bautista, an old-school bank robber who keeps looking for one last big score. He’s been doing this so long that crime isn’t a choice anymore—it’s just muscle memory. Then there’s Brian Heder, a veteran drug smuggler who’s now semi-retired but still well-connected. He’s the kind of guy who lets Jason crash rent-free, not out of kindness, but because it’s useful to have someone young and desperate on speed dial.

All this drops alongside a second trailer that hit 60 million views in less than a day—just days after Rockstar officially delayed the game to May 26, 2026. The move felt surgical: disappoint the fans with a delay, then overwhelm them with a tidal wave of new content. And it worked. The hype is back, bigger than ever, and if this early peek into Leonida is anything to go by, Rockstar isn’t just dropping a game—they’re launching an entire ecosystem of chaos, stories, and unforgettable characters.