As people continue to speculate about what Rockstar has in store for its highly anticipatedGrand Theft Auto 6, one way the developer could grow the series is by turning to an unusual, family-friendly inspiration. WhenWave 1 of theSplatoon 3Expansion Passarrived in February, it gave players the ability to return to the firstSplatoon’s hub city of Inkopolis via newly added train lines. This unique way of reintroducing old areas is something Rockstar could adapt for theGTAseries. Letting players return to locations from previous games would open the series up like never before, and finally deliver a feature that players have been requesting for years.
WithGTA 6featuring a much larger map than previous games, according to rumors, DLC should let players revisit their favorite locations from the past rather than just giving players more Vice City suburbs to explore. While aSplatoon-like subway line between all the series’ metro locales would stretch plausibility, even for the outlandishGTAseries, Rockstar could easily find a way to reintroduce cities from past games as part of DLC forGTA 6. Letting players hop on a flight at the Vice City airport and touch down in Los Santos or Liberty City would be a game-changer for the series.
RELATED:GTA 6 Leaks Are Being Taken Down
Bringing Back Grand Theft Auto’s Old Cities Isn’t a New Idea
Giving oldGrand Theft Autolocations a second chance in the spotlight isn’t a new idea, and it’s not just players who have floated the idea ofaGTAgame with multiple cities. In 2012, then-head of Rockstar North Leslie Benzies told reporters that “we would like to have one big world containing all our cities and let the player fly between them and revisit their favorite areas.” While those ambitions may have been difficult to realize on decade-old hardware, today’s powerful PCs and modern consoles could potentially make Benzies’ dream a reality.
In addition to the statements from high-profile Rockstar employees hinting at the idea of a multi-cityGTA, leaks and rumors have suggested the return of some classic locations for years. Even though none came to fruition, multiple rumors in recent years suggested thatGTA 4’s Liberty City is coming toGTA Onlineas an expansion. Whether this was a leaked plan that never saw the light of day or just rampant speculation, Rockstar has the opportunity to deliver this kind of long-requested feature withGTA 6DLC.
DLC Could Give Classic Locations a Second Chance After the GTA Trilogy
Despite the undeniablecommercial success ofGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, this return trip to previous locales was disappointing for many players. Fans were let down by theGTA Trilogy’s numerous bugs and questionable graphical changes. Giving iconic locations like Liberty City and Los Santos a second chance withGTA 6DLC could right this wrong and give the classic cities love they deserve.
Judging by the ongoing rumors of classic cities making a reappearance, and wildly impressiveUnreal Engine 5 remakes of Liberty Cityand otherGTAlocations designed by players, it’s clear that franchise fans want to return to their old stomping grounds. Rockstar should give gamers what they want and bring back these cities, or at least sections of them, as DLC content forGTA 6. Picking up a mission in Vice City before catching a flight to Los Santos in order to complete the criminal contract would be a thrilling expansion of the traditional formula.
WhileSplatoonandGrand Theft Autocouldn’t be more different in terms of content, that’s no reason Rockstar can’t take a lesson from Nintendo’s cephalopod-centric series when it comes to DLC. Reintroducing classic cities withGrand Theft Auto 6DLC wouldn’t just be a financial win for Rockstar, it would bring the series full-circle in a unique and satisfying way.
Grand Theft Auto 6is currently in development.
MORE:Grand Theft Auto 5’s Protagonist Trio Set a High Bar for GTA 6 to Clear
