When we challenged our community of passionate video game fans to come up with epic ideas for GTA game locations, we didn’t know that it would become what Limal describes as “the hottest discussion on JA, full of so many wonderful ideas!”
Those wonderful ideas include Asim’s GTA England, Dean’s GTA Scotland Juuni’s GTA Seattle including missions into Canada and Alaska, and MikeCatDaddy’s GTA Australia, complete with contraband runs through the iconic Sydney harbour, dangerous wildlife galore, and plenty of characteristically inventive Australian swearing. We’ve got plenty more great ones below though, so let’s dive in and see where GTA fans want the next GTA game to be set.
GTA Vegas
Sure, San Andreas’s Las Venturas was based on Las Vegas, but why not go the full nine yards and commit to it entirely? We’re starting with an idea close to Rockstar’s tried-and-tested US locations, but as Dave - who suggested the idea - notes, setting the next GTA in Vegas would be akin to including a satirical world tour:
“There are so many themed points of interest in downtown Vegas, it’s like you’re in all sorts of different world locations. There’s the Venetian for a little Venice-themed area, Caesar’s Palace, and so on. The dazzling lights and reflective glass of the strip would really show off ray tracing in all its glory. And there’d be huge scope for running your own hotel or casino empire. Plus, think of all the crazy, random side stories and missions you’d come across on Vegas streets. Outside the city, there’s also North Las Vegas with the Nellis Air Force Base, various gigantic golf courses, race tracks, and the airport. And let’s not forget Red Rock Canyon and the deserts.”
GTA Cold War Berlin
Our next suggestion not only takes Grand Theft Auto across the ocean but takes it back in time to Cold War-era Berlin, a city divided by automated turrets, barbed wire, and concrete. MargotCandy, inspired by a recent trip to Berlin’s spy museum as well as the visuals of L.A. Noire, came up with the idea.
Margot pictures GTA Berlin as “a bit more subtle than GTA V and its drug empires, but still exciting” and notes that there would be plenty of opportunities for espionage and smuggling. There’s certainly scope for classic Rockstar silliness: “In the spy museum, they had pictures of pigeons with full-blown cameras attached to them.”
The opposing ideologies of communism and capitalism would certainly give Rockstar a lot to satirise. And as Margot notes, it would be ideal for GTA V-style multiple protagonists: “There could be a western gangster who lost half of his empire overnight and a housewife listening in on her neighbours and selling information.”
Margot rightly notes that there’s a risk of historical insensitivity. Then again, Rockstar has never been one to pay too much heed to sensitivity concerns, and as Margot concludes: “Just imagine stealing a Trabant and racing through Berlin!”
GTA London (reborn)
Here’s another city into which Grand Theft Auto has already dipped a toe. GTA London was an expansion for the very first top-down GTA. But three different community members independently nominated it for a 3D HD revival with the same retro setting. The sixties, it seems, are alive and swinging.
Out of all our bounty entrants to nominate London, it was Paul whom we awarded for his vision of London in the ‘60s, complete with playable famed gangsters The Krey Twins building their empire and “all the best horrific cockney accents” from the original GTA London.
We can picture it now: Austin Powers-style characters running around in colourful flared trousers, scrapping with punks sporting mohawks half as tall as Tower Bridge. Our bounty’s runners up also had plenty to add, too; ThomasBlackflame argued that it would be the perfect way to “bring back more fun and positive vibes after more bleak recent GTA entries”. While BeyondBelief adds: “I’m biassed, but I think London would be great. It’s busy, there are loads of tourist attractions, and it would be complete chaos. I think it would really fit GTA’s whole vibe. Maybe also New York for the same reasons.”
GTA Birmingham
Talking of strong UK accents, another bounty winner - Laser-Bicep - suggests setting GTA in Birmingham, and goes as far as laying out the first five missions:
“Mission one: navigating the criminal underworld, but all of the speech options are in the local patois, so you have no idea what’s happening Mission two: a low-speed canal boat chase Mission three: ‘The Bull Ring Brawl [the Bull Ring is a locally famous Birmingham shopping centre]’ Mission four: Differentiating between gangsters that look like Peaky Blinders’ Thomas Shelby and all the middle-aged men who dress like him Mission five: Collecting money from Digbeth takeaways and kebab shops”
For any other developer, we’d describe Laser Biceps’ suggestions as tongue-in-cheek, but for Rockstar, they’re just about right.
GTA Manchester
We have one final UK entry before we’re off to sunnier climes. A run and a jump from Birmingham is the city of Manchester, home of suffragette icon Emmelline Pankhurst and Britpop icons Noel and Liam Gallagher. We’ll pass the reins to Makster for his articulate explanation of why it would work so well:
“My first instinct was to say Hong Kong, Japan, or another east Asian country as I’d love to see the culture and city realised to the scale Rockstar games are famous for. But the more I think about it, the more I realise I love GTA more for its writing and commentary. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the era and culture of each game: San Andreas took on west coast gangsters, Vice City is an homage to ‘80s Miami, IV saw a modern realisation of the American Dream through the eyes of an immigrant, and V was LA through the lens of crime capers and heists.
“Let’s see GTA in a UK city like Manchester. It could tackle the rise of youth violence and grime culture, taking cues from Blue Story, Top Boy, the ‘Postcode Wars’, and council estate culture. I think a younger criminal trying to make a name for himself would be an interesting premise. The UK is rich in different social classes, nationalities, and both street and corporate crime - things I think Rockstar could do justice in both representing and satirising.”
GTA Hawaii
Sunnier climes we promised, and sunnier climes we shall deliver. Introducing: GTA Hawaii. Here’s cyruz for an explainer:
“I’d set it in a fictional version of Hawaii and channel some ideas from Hawaii Five-O. The place is beautiful. So if no one’s bored of palm trees post-GTA 6, you could keep the theme going. Hawaii has big cities, long coastal highways, volcanoes, off-road exploration opportunities, and some cool cultural - and supernatural - elements.
“You could split the game into islands and introduce Point Break-riffing surf missions and mechanics. You could introduce diving and exploring underwater caves too. Test Drive Unlimited and The Crew Motorfest have shown that the islands are ideal for driving and racing. Even the Like a Dragon series is getting some Hawaiian action right now.”
GTA Tokyo
Off to the other side of the Pacific now for another island-based suggestion. Here’s Josh B’s pitch for GTA Tokyo:
“Give us Tokyo! The city itself is amazing and could be brilliantly recreated by the Rockstar gods. It would allow for dense city streets filled with pedestrians, and modern graphics would make it all look incredible, especially lit up at night. Outside the city, the countryside could be packed with Japanese heritage, side quests, and collectibles. Add in a story revolving around the Yakuza and rival gangs, a sh*t-ton of firearms, and traditional Japanese weaponry, and you’ve got yourself a winner!"
Makster agrees that Rockstar would do an amazing job of capturing Tokyo’s feel, but he also raises an astute point about Rockstar’s satirical speciality:
“My argument against Grand Theft Auto being based in an Asian country is that the series is so deeply integrated in western culture and its satirisation. Perhaps it’s a ‘me problem’, but a lot of the edge and underlying charm of GTA is the social commentary it makes to the point of caricature and farce. Consider GTA IV taking on the advent of social media and hipster bloggers, the DLC taking on biker gang culture and clubbing, and V taking on vapid LA culture. Would people relate to Rockstar’s take on Otaku, the idol scene, overworked salarymen, and how technology is making people antisocial and withdrawn? Rockstar’s level of satirisation would likely be seen as offensive - a western developer openly mocking an eastern one.”
GTA Dubai
You could argue that Makster’s points apply to this next suggestion, although considering excess and indulgence are two of Rockstar’s prime satirical targets, we suspect it could manage a pretty good take on the blingiest city in the world. Over to MURRRAAAAY to introduce GTA Dubai:
“Now this would be awesome. It’s a massive, beautiful, modern city to explore, complete with artificial islands, beautiful oceans, and incredible cars and wealth. It’d be cool to have a protagonist moving from a less well-off background and working their way up through the glitz and glamour of Dubai, though not without getting into lots of trouble en route.
“Imagine cruising around Dubai’s man-made The World or Palm Islands, then jumping onto land and taking your pick of sports cars while the police give chase in their fleet of super cop cars. I haven’t even got started on the sick properties you could buy for your character or the amazing missions centred around world-famous landmarks!”
Base jumping from the Burj Khalifa? Yes please.
GTA Antwerp
Now here’s an idea that you probably didn’t see coming, but it proved to be a hit with our community. Here’s Sturmer, on why he chose the Belgian city of Antwerp for his dream GTA game location:
“It’s a classic European city that would offer a fresh twist to the series with its blend of history and modernity. From narrow, ancient cobblestone streets to bustling downtown areas, the city’s diversity provides a dynamic backdrop. The presence of multiple languages and accents would enrich the game’s radio broadcasts. Unlike typical GTA locales, its European setting would mean fewer guns on the streets, setting up a GTA entry with a stronger focus on stealth and intrigue.”
But that doesn’t mean the game would be any less packed with crime and action:
“Antwerp’s reputation as an illegal narcotics hub and gateway into Europe could introduce intense mafia conflicts. The setting would not only offer rich, authentic criminal lore drawn from historical and current events but also promise a unique gameplay experience defined by cultural depth and complex crime politics. This is a place where all major multinational crime organisations could be present, silently fighting for territory, influence, and control.”
GTA Medieval Nürnberg
If we’re after European settings with fewer guns, greybill has a real curveball option. Much like top-down ‘Grand Theft Horse’ game Rustler, they suggest taking the spirit, humour, and gameplay of GTA and setting it in the time of Medieval kings and queens.
“Medieval Europe had fascinating cities. I think Nürnberg would be an especially worthy pick, maybe even adding Fürth as a DLC. I see great potential for stories about corrupt churchmen, wars, and heists from barges or coaches. Imagine gangs fighting over different city districts, interpersonal drama, red-light districts, murder, and ‘public murder’, i.e. executions. In short: fun times.”
The only question that remains is whether they’d follow in Rustler’s footsteps by inexplicably giving horseback sheriffs sirens and flashing lights.
GTA Budapest
We’ve saved one of our favourites until last. Lanah Tyra nominated Budapest, one of the most atmospheric cities in the world. Lanah knows the city well, so we’ll hand over to her for the explanation:
“The city looks absolutely stunning at night with its mix of narrow old streets and modern highways. There are hills, bridges, and big open squares - perfect for all manner of driving challenges. Will you join the local gangs who take over the streets at night speeding through red lights? Are you brave enough to venture into the depths of District 8? (It’s Mordor, don’t go there.)
“You’ll find plenty of expensive, modern cars in the central districts where all the businesses and politics are, but if you go to the outskirts, you’ll find some true treasures like this Zsiguli:
“You could pay for it in cash, of course, but it might come as dowry if you marry the daughter of a local gangster. There’d be plenty to listen to on its radio - if it’s working - you’d find anything from modern pop hits to local retro. Personally, I suspect rock radio will match the situations you’ll find yourself in.”
We can see it now: ice-skating missions, boat races down the Danube, and shootouts amid the mists of the thermal baths.
Some text has been amended for brevity. You can find the original wording alongside more ideas and nostalgia-laden conversations about the joys of driving a Zsiguli back at the bounty post. Vote in the poll below to let us know which of these Grand Theft Auto games you’d like to play most.
Image credit, in top-to-bottom order: Jezael Melgoza, Pexels, PeterDargatz, Benjamin Davies, Luke Matthews, Joe Cleary, Luke McKeown, Alex Knight, ZQ Lee, Wikimedia Commons, Ernest Ojeh, Michael Schaffler, Bence Balla-Schottner, Etivari
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