GTA 6 with a smaller map than GTA V is what a former Rockstar Games developer is hoping for and he might get his wish. One of the greats behind Red Dead’s level design also shared his thoughts on the GTA 6 leaks. The highly anticipated open world blockbuster likely will set new standards in entertainment but also feature a smaller map to what was wanted according to reports.
In a new interview with PCGamesN, one former Rockstar Games level designer believes the next entry into the Grand Theft Auto series should focus on shrinking in size. Tony Gowland helped lead Red Dead Redemption’s level design and was a senior designer on Chinatown Wars and Vice City Stories so he’s someone to listen to when it comes to video game design.
Why GTA 6 should have a smaller map
Tony has revealed what his hopes are for the next GTA iteration has: “In terms of what I’m hoping for, I personally would like it to bring in a little bit in terms of size of the world. I think a smaller but more densely packed location would maybe bring back some of that memorable navigation that I loved from the original.”
This is something that some fans have previously echoed but expectations from consumers tends to be bigger equals better. Some GTA fans have argued GTA V fell victim to this. Whilst it offers much larger map to play in, there are interiors that are not accessible once a mission has been completed or never accessible at all.
It sounds like GTA 6 might indeed opt for a smaller than expected map with more density. Back in July 2022, we covered a report from Bloomberg that detailed parts of GTA 6 and its development.
The claim is that Rockstar previously had plans for GTA 6 to be larger than any of its previous games featuring large areas of North and South America. Now the scale has been cut back to focus on Vice City.
The report also said we will see the return of the fictional Miami setting and “surrounding areas”. Despite the reduction in scope, Rockstar will update the map on a regular basis over time with apparently new cities. It is also being reported this game will have more interior locations than any previous GTA game.
This is what Tony Gowland is hoping for so we shall see how it pans out. This report can be backed up by the gameplay footage that was leaked as part of the major hack last September.
Ex-employee’s thoughts on leaked GTA 6 gameplay
Speaking of the hack that occurred last year, Mr Gowland shared his reaction to what happened:
“The only footage I’ve seen is a couple of bits of the leaked stuff, and I stopped watching pretty quickly. I found that really heart-breaking for the team, to have all their hard work first shown to the world in such a janky and unfinished state, and I’d much rather wait for an official trailer to get really hyped.”
This was the same sentiment shared by many in the GTA community at the time of the leak.
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1 Comment
I hope that Rockstar Games will release a smaller map for GTA 6. I think that it would be a lot more fun to play on a smaller map and not have to worry about running into other players.