GTA 6 Map vs GTA 3 Map: How Rockstar’s Worlds Have Evolved Over 20+ Years

Introduction

Rockstar’s open worlds have come a long way since the early days of Grand Theft Auto III. Back in 2001, GTA III introduced players to Liberty City—a groundbreaking 3D sandbox world measuring roughly 8.12 km².

Fast forward to GTA 6, and Rockstar is promising a map that blows early entries out of the water—not just modestly bigger, but nearly double the size of GTA V, which itself spanned 75.84 km².

Set in the fictional state of Leonida (inspired by Florida), GTA 6 boasts multiple distinct regions—ranging from the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and the sprawling Leonida Keys, to the murky Grassrivers swamps, the decaying Port Gellhorn, industrial Ambrosia, and the rugged terrains of Mount Kalaga.

This marks a dramatic shift from GTA III’s compact triple-island Liberty City to a sprawling multi-environment world teeming with urban, rural, and natural diversity.

In the sections ahead, we’ll break down how these two maps stack up—comparing their scale, environmental variety, and how technological leaps between generations have shaped gameplay and immersion.

GTA 3 Map Overview

Setting and Structure

Grand Theft Auto III introduced players to a fictionalized Liberty City, loosely based on New York City’s boroughs—industrial zones like Brooklyn/Queens, a commercial core resembling Manhattan, and suburban areas akin to New Jersey.

The city unfolds across three distinct islands (Portland, Staunton Island, Shoreside Vale) that unlock progressively as you advance through the game.

Map Size

For its time, Liberty City felt massive. It spans approximately 8.12 km² (~3.14 square miles) — making it the smallest open-world map in the GTA franchise, yet a pivotal leap forward for 3D sandbox design when it launched.

Environmental Design

While it doesn’t cover vast countryside, the map cleverly balances denser urban environments, industrial districts, and limited greenery, all packed into a compact, high-density experience. It’s a world defined by tight streets, vertical layout, and gritty metropolitan storytelling.

GTA 6 Map Overview

GTA 6 unfolds across the fictitious state of Leonida, inspired heavily by Florida’s geography and culture. The open world is composed of six major regions—three urban environments and three natural zones—that collectively drive the game’s breadth and variety.

Urban Environments

• Vice City: A neon-lit, Miami-inspired metropolis serving as the main hub, characterized by diverse neighborhoods like Ocean Beach, Little Cuba, and the iconic cruise-port district.
• Port Gellhorn: A decayed former resort town reminiscent of Panama City, dotted with abandoned motels, derelict attractions, and populated by a gritty local subculture.
• Ambrosia: An industrial town modeled on Clewiston/Okeechobee, dominated by sugar refineries and biker gang territory—located inland at the heart of Leonida.

Natural Zones

• Leonida Keys: A tropical archipelago channeling the Florida Keys, combining paradisiacal aesthetics with hidden threats and rich marine life.
• Grassrivers: A vast, dangerous wetland inspired by the Everglades, teeming with wildlife and ecological mysteries.
• Mount Kalaga National Park: A rugged wilderness near Leonida’s northern edge, ideal for outdoor activities like hunting and hiking, yet home to reclusive, extremist groups.

Rockstar has not confirmed exact dimensions, but multiple assessments suggest Leonida could be nearly twice the size of GTA V. The mix of sprawling cities, ruins, wetlands, beaches, industrial zones, and mountains signals a dramatic leap in open-world design.

Map Size Comparison

GTA 3 (Liberty City): Multiple industry roundups and databases consistently put Liberty City at about 8.12 km², spread across three islands (Portland, Staunton Island, Shoreside Vale).

GTA 6 (Leonida): Rockstar hasn’t published an official size. However, community reconstructions based on trailer coordinates and mapping projects commonly estimate ~125 km² of landmass, with some calculations putting the total surface around ~206.8 km² depending on how water and out‑of‑bounds space are counted. These are still estimates, not final figures.

What that means: Even using the conservative ~125 km² figure, Leonida is roughly 15× larger than GTA 3’s Liberty City; the higher-end ~206.8 km² estimate would make it ~25× larger. (These ratios are derived from the cited sizes above.)

Technological Advancements in Map Design

Engine Evolution: From RenderWare to RAGE (and now RAGE 9)

• GTA 3 was developed with the RenderWare engine, a respectable tool in its day, but limited in rendering detail, draw distance, and environmental complexity.
• In contrast, GTA 6 leverages the modernized RAGE 9 engine, featuring real-time water simulation, dynamic lighting, volumetric clouds, and expansive draw distances—all enhancing immersion in ways that were technically out of reach two decades ago.

Smarter World Systems & Enhanced Immersion

• The RAGE engine in GTA 6 introduces a weather-aware world that impacts gameplay: fog affects visibility and AI detection, and storms can flood terrain and roads.
• Procedural object generation is being integrated (according to Reddit-sourced discussions), enabling varied placement of objects like foliage, debris, and urban clutter—making each playthrough feel a bit more alive and unpredictable.

AI, Interactive Landmarks & Richer Interactivity

• New developments in AI promise reactive NPC behavior, allowing more complex interactions—such as NPC routines and dynamic responses tailored to player actions.
• Fans also hope GTA 6 will integrate real-life–inspired landmarks into meaningful gameplay mechanics—using locations not just as backdrops, but as hubs for missions, businesses, heists, and multiplayer touchpoints.

Community Map Understanding: Trailer-Based Precision

• Fan communities are dissecting GTA 6 trailers to reconstruct its geography with impressive accuracy. One Reddit-based fan mapping initiative has achieved near-90% accuracy compared to Rockstar’s eventual release.

Impact on Gameplay

GTA 3 (Liberty City): Gameplay Structure & Player Agency

• Progressive Unlocking of Areas: GTA 3 introduces Portland initially, with Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale unlocking as you advance. This progression creates a structured journey that unfolds gradually for the player.
• Focused Urban Environment: The compact city layout supports intense urban combat, tight vehicle navigation, and high-density action sequences, promoting fast-paced gameplay and exploration within a contained space.

GTA 6 (Leonida): Expansive Terrain and Narrative Integration

• Diverse Regions Drive Varied Missions: Leonida’s mix of neon-lit Vice City, marshy swamps, industrial zones, island chains, and mountainous wilderness allows for mission diversity—from stealthy swamp infiltrations to high-speed city chases or rural smuggling runs.
• Deep Storytelling Through Place: Locations in GTA 6 aren’t just backdrops but narrative chapter settings. For example, Lucia's historical ties to the Leonida Keys and Jason’s connections to Vice City are expected to influence player missions—making the environment a storytelling tool itself.
• Environmental Realism & Immersion: Fan mappings and media comparisons reveal high-fidelity recreations of real-world locales (e.g., Miami’s Ocean Drive, the Everglades, Florida Keys). Such detail enhances intuitive immersion and encourages organic exploration.
• Managing Player Fatigue in Huge Worlds: Former GTA 6 and Red Dead designer Cameron Williams emphasizes that too much open space can overwhelm players. Smart design—like highlighting landmarks and embedding content along natural progression paths—helps avoid “open world fatigue.”

Speculation on Future Updates

Despite its upcoming release, there’s a considerable amount of buzz around how GTA 6's map—Leonida—might expand post-launch. Here’s what the current reports and rumors suggest:

Returning Classics & DLC Possibilities

• Liberty City’s potential return
  Fans have noticed visual cues and references in trailers that hint at Liberty City’s return—not as just a nod, but possibly as a mission hub or DLC location. Rockstar hasn’t confirmed this, but speculation remains strong.

Day-One & Narrative DLC

• Some sources speculate that Rockstar could launch DLC from day one, adding content like a Vice City Stories Pack, a Lucia’s Origin Mission Pack, a Multiplayer Prologue, or new vehicles and gear.

Regular World-Building & Expansion

• Based on Rockstar’s past content rollout strategy, it’s rumored that regular new missions and map areas could be added over time—potentially steadily expanding Leonida.

Trailer Easter Eggs Hinting at New Regions

• Trailer analysis has spotted license plates from regions like Gloriana (a Georgia analogue), Arizona, and Liberty City—suggesting Rockstar might tease future expansion paths.

From a fan mapping community:
“One plan that management has laid out … is to start out with a moderately sized release … that is then expanded with regular updates over time.”

Conclusion

Rockstar has come a long way since GTA 3, evolving from a tightly packed urban playground into a sprawling, multi-zone world in GTA 6. What was once Liberty City—a dense, three-island cityscape covering just over 8 km²—now morphs into Leonida: a vast, multi-biome state with sprawling urban centers, swamps, tropical keys, and rugged mountains.

Gameplay promises unmatched variety, driven by technological leaps and ambitious design.

Rumors are mounting: GTA 6 may launch with multiple “states” immediately available, including a possible return to Liberty City—suggested by in-game license plates, character backstory, and narrative hints.

Community detectives have been busy too. Since September 2022, the “Mapping Vice City” thread on GTAForums has collected more than 10,500 posts as players collaboratively attempt to reconstruct and understand the scale and layout of Leonida—highlighting the strong fan engagement and anticipation.

All signs point to GTA 6 breaking the mold—with a world that’s more dynamic, larger, and narratively rich than any previous entry, setting the stage for both launch content and potential post-release expansions.

FAQ

1. How much larger is GTA 6’s map compared to GTA 3’s?

GTA 3’s Liberty City spans about 8.12 km². Estimates for GTA 6’s Leonida map range from ~125 km² to roughly 200 km², making it approximately 15–25× larger depending on which figure you use.

2. Why is Leonida split into distinct regions while Liberty City wasn’t?

GTA 3 featured a compact, urban-only world with minimal environmental variety. GTA 6, in contrast, offers a multi-region design—including urban centers, islands, swamps, and mountains—to support richer exploration and gameplay diversity.

3. Will Liberty City appear in GTA 6?

There’s unconfirmed but persistent speculation that Liberty City might return, possibly as a DLC or narrative expansion. Hints include license plates and visual nods, though Rockstar offers no official confirmation.

4. How accurate are fan-made maps of GTA 6?

Fan communities—especially the "Mapping Vice City" project—have spent nearly three years studying trailers, screenshots, and leaked materials, reaching an estimated 90% accuracy in predicting the layout prior to release.

5. When is GTA 6 set to release, and where can I track updates?

The official launch date is May 26, 2026, and the game is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. You can track updates by subsrcibing to our newsletter.