Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

GTA V’s open world is a documented mix of Los Santos, Blaine County, outdoor exploration, recreation, vehicle activities, and a separate online mode. GTA VI is confirmed to bring players to modern Vice City and the wider state of Leonida, with Jason and Lucia at the center of its story. Rockstar has not established that GTA VI’s map will be larger or more interactive, or detailed its full activity list, so those comparisons remain open.

GTA 6 vs. GTA 5 map: what is confirmed?

GTA V spans a city, countryside, and coast

Rockstar’s May 2013 preview of GTA V describes Los Santos as a metropolis and Blaine County as the surrounding countryside. Its world runs from mountains and city streets to the ocean floor, and Rockstar said it was open from the beginning. This describes the game’s original design; it does not guarantee that every activity or feature appears identically in every later edition.

GTA VI is set in Leonida, including modern Vice City

Rockstar’s official GTA VI page identifies Vice City and the wider state of Leonida as the setting. That establishes the fictional locations, not the final map’s dimensions, density, or boundaries. The materials Rockstar has published do not provide a comparable map-size figure for GTA VI.

Will GTA 6 be bigger than GTA 5?

That has not been established by the official material cited here. A trailer or setting description can introduce places and atmosphere, but it cannot by itself establish a map’s playable area or how much of it players can explore. To make a meaningful comparison after release, look at the range of locations, how freely players can travel between them, and how much those areas offer beyond scenery.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
IRIPLEZO Grand Theft Auto V
  • STUNNING VISUALS — Enhanced levels of fidelity and performance with new graphics modes featuring up to 4K resolution, up to 60 frames per second, HDR options, ray tracing, improved texture quality, and more
  • FASTER LOADING — Quicker access to the action as the world of Los Santos and Blaine County load in faster than ever before.
  • ADAPTIVE TRIGGERS AND HAPTIC FEEDBACK — Feel every moment through the DualSense controller, from directional damage to weather effects, rough road surfaces to explosions, and more.
  • TEMPEST 3D AUDIO — Hear the sounds of the world with pinpoint precision: the throttle of a stolen supercar, the rattle of neighbouring gunfire, the roar of a helicopter overhead, and more.
  • Please note that although this game is Region Free or Region Unlocked and will work on all systems, this is the European version and may differ from the local version in age rating, labeling or instructions.

What can you do in GTA 5’s open world?

Rockstar’s 2013 preview lists activities beyond the main story. It says players can pick up hitchhikers, attempt stunt jumps and flying challenges, play golf or tennis, do yoga, cycle, parachute, customize vehicles, and race. These documented examples show how GTA V mixes exploration with recreation, traversal challenges, and vehicle-focused diversions.

GTA VI’s official materials cited here do not provide an equivalent comprehensive activity list. Its eventual range of side activities, customization options, and interactions with the environment therefore cannot yet be compared item by item with GTA V.

Rank #2
Grand Theft Auto V (PS4)
  • Experience the world of Grand Theft Auto V like never before with the power of the PlayStation 4.
  • Explore the City of Los Santos, the countryside and even the ocean.
  • Play through an epic single player experience using three very different characters.
  • Join your friends in GTA Online and see what trouble you can cause.
  • Play golf, tennis, see a film or call someone and just hang out.

How do the protagonists and stories compare?

GTA V follows three playable protagonists

GTA V’s story centers on Michael, Franklin, and Trevor, whose lives and skillsets intersect around dangerous heists. Rockstar’s current GTA V store page describes the interwoven story and heists. Switching among three protagonists gives the story a different structure from one built around a central pair.

GTA VI follows Jason and Lucia

Rockstar’s GTA VI page presents Jason and Lucia as its central characters, caught in a criminal conspiracy. That confirms the premise and protagonists, but not the full mission structure or how their roles will work moment to moment.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Sale
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition - PC [Online Game Code]
  • GRAND THEFT AUTO V When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath land themselves in trouble, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a city in which they can trust nobody, least of all each other.
  • GRAND THEFT AUTO ONLINE Discover an ever-evolving world of choices and ways to play as you climb the criminal ranks of Los Santos and Blaine County in the ultimate shared Online experience.
  • THE CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE STARTER PACK The Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack is the fastest way for new GTA Online players to jumpstart their criminal empires with the most exciting and popular content plus $1,000,000 bonus cash to spend in GTA Online - all content valued at over GTA$10,000,000 if purchased separately.
  • This game will no longer support Windows 7 or 8 operating systems starting January 30, 2024.

Single-player and online play are different comparisons

GTA V has a story mode and a separate online world

GTA V’s Story Mode and GTA Online are distinct experiences. Rockstar describes GTA Online as an evolving shared world with missions, jobs, races, and free-roam activities. Its 2013 launch announcement specified up to 16 players at a time at launch; that is a historical launch-era figure, not a statement of the service’s current limits.

GTA VI is announced as a single-player experience

In its June 2026 preorder announcement, Rockstar described GTA VI as a single-player experience. That describes the announced launch game; it does not settle whether Rockstar may announce a separate online component later. No specific GTA VI player count or online mode is established by the cited material.

Rank #4
Sale
Grand Theft Auto V - Xbox 360 (Renewed)
  • The biggest, most dynamic and most diverse open world ever created and now packed with layers of new detail.
  • Grand Theft Auto V blends storytelling and gameplay in new ways as players repeatedly jump in and out of the lives of the game's three lead characters, playing all sides of the game's interwoven story.
  • Grand Theft Auto V also comes with Grand Theft Auto Online, the dynamic and ever-evolving Grand Theft Auto universe for multiple players.

GTA VI release date, platforms, and physical edition

At the research timestamp, Rockstar lists November 19, 2026, as GTA VI’s release date and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as its platforms. Rockstar’s preorder announcement says the physical box contains a download code rather than a disc. In other words, “physical” refers to the boxed product, not a playable disc. Release, platform, and packaging details can change, so check Rockstar’s current listing before buying.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What should players watch for in GTA VI?

Once Rockstar publishes fuller gameplay details—and players can assess the released game—the most useful comparison with GTA V will be about how the worlds work, not just how they look. Consider:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
Grand Theft Auto V
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Geography and traversal: How do city, countryside, coast, and other locations differ, and how freely can players move between them?
  • Activity variety: What diversions, challenges, missions, and customization options are actually available?
  • World reactivity: How do locations and activities respond to player choices and actions?
  • Play format: What belongs to the single-player game, and does Rockstar separately announce an online experience?

Rockstar’s descriptions are useful for confirming settings, characters, and announced features; they do not establish comparative map size or prove how interactive either game feels in play. The company’s 2011 GTA V announcement called it “A bold new direction in open-world freedom, storytelling, mission-based gameplay and online multiplayer.” That was Rockstar’s corporate description of its own game, not independent evidence that it was objectively larger or better.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Grand Theft Auto V (PS4)
Grand Theft Auto V (PS4)
Explore the City of Los Santos, the countryside and even the ocean.; Play through an epic single player experience using three very different characters.
$26.45
SaleBestseller No. 4
Bestseller No. 5
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V
Used Book in Good Condition
$31.47

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.