Vice City History

Vice City history spans almost thirty years: the city first appeared in the original Grand Theft Auto in 1997, became a legend in GTA Vice City in 2002, returned in Vice City Stories in 2006, and is now the centrepiece of GTA 6. Each version is a fresh take on Miami, and each one reflects the era it was made in.

Here is how Rockstar's Miami grew from a top-down map to the biggest city in the series.

When did Vice City first appear in GTA?

Vice City was one of three cities in the original Grand Theft Auto, released in 1997. It sat alongside Liberty City and San Andreas, the series' versions of New York, San Francisco and Miami. The game was viewed from above, and the city was more a set of streets than a living place.

Even then, the template was there: palm trees, beaches, and a city run on crime.

What happened in GTA Vice City (2002)?

GTA Vice City arrived in 2002 and is set in 1986. You play Tommy Vercetti, who is sent south after prison and quickly gets caught up in a drug deal gone wrong. The game leaned hard into 1980s Miami: neon, pastel suits, synth pop and crime drama on television.

It became one of the most loved games in the series. Its soundtrack, its Ocean Drive style beach strip and its rise-to-power story set the tone that fans still associate with the name.

What is GTA Vice City Stories?

Vice City Stories came out in 2006 and is a prequel set in 1984, two years before Tommy's story. You play Victor Vance, a soldier pulled into the city's underworld. It reused a version of the 2002 map, added new areas, and introduced an empire building system for taking over businesses.

How is GTA 6's Vice City different?

GTA 6 brings Vice City into the present day, as the main city of the state of Leonida. It is no longer an island city on its own. Instead it sits within a wider state that includes the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers and inland towns.

The tone has shifted too. Where 2002's version was a love letter to 1980s movies, GTA VI's Vice City satirises modern Florida, social media and viral clips. Familiar touches, like the Art Deco beach district at Vice Beach and Ocean Drive, connect the new city to the old one.

For how the different Vice Cities fit into the series' continuity, see our GTA timeline.

FAQ

What year is GTA Vice City set in?

GTA Vice City (2002) is set in 1986. Vice City Stories (2006) is set earlier, in 1984.

Was Vice City in the first GTA?

Yes. The original Grand Theft Auto in 1997 included Vice City as one of its three cities.

Is GTA 6's Vice City the same as the old one?

No. GTA 6 is a new, present-day Vice City built from scratch, set inside the wider state of Leonida.

Is Tommy Vercetti in GTA 6?

Rockstar has not announced any appearance. GTA 6's protagonists are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos.