GTA 6 map will allow free exploration early in the game
Players won’t have to progress far into the story to travel around Leonida
The world of GTA 6 will open up for free exploration relatively early. As reported by IGN, citing a preview from Edge magazine, players will be able to explore Leonida without constantly following the main missions.
In particular, those who wish will be able to head north on the map instead of staying in Vice City until a certain story milestone. However, this refers to early access to world exploration, not a promise to unlock all features immediately after the game’s launch.
This approach differs from GTA 4, where parts of Liberty City became accessible only as the story progressed. In GTA 5, players were given significantly more freedom of movement after the introductory episodes.
Rockstar is also focusing on the richness of the environment. Aaron Garbut, co-head of Rockstar North, stated that GTA 6 features substantially more interiors available for visitation than previous studio projects. These were created manually, with attention to detail and atmosphere.
According to Garbut, even after several years of working on the game, he continues to discover places he had not previously visited. Exploring Leonida is intended to be a standalone part of the gameplay for those who prefer uncovering new locations rather than moving directly from one mission to the next.
