Grand Theft Auto 6 has a chance to capitalize on one of GTA: Vice City's biggest missed opportunities with its return to the eponymous city. Vice City managed to encom a lot of common traits of both Miami and the 1980s, but it missed out on one major aspect. By adding casinos, GTA 6 can finally bring this missing piece to Vice City and make it feel complete.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's inspirations were as clear as day to anyone who played for even a few minutes. The game's bright neon lights combined with its stylized text place it squarely in the 80s. In addition, elements such as the vast, sandy beaches, palm trees lining the sidewalks, and the cocaine racket of the 80s setting help to place Vice City's inspiration as Miami. It's not fair for fans to ponder what other Florida inspirations GTA 6 could include. There is one major aspect of the city that Vice City never focused on, and it's one that would fit perfectly into the GTA universe - casinos.
While not as famous as Las Vegas, Miami still has its fair share of casinos, and they would be iconic enough to factor into a GTA game. Vice City didn't take advantage of this, but GTA 6 can do something with the idea. Casinos could offer plenty to a Grand Theft Auto game, both mechanically and thematically.
Casinos Are A Perfect Fit For Grand Theft Auto's Aesthetic
Grand Theft Auto prides itself on being a mature gaming option, even if some of the ways it displays that can ironically be immature. The games are proudly violent and loaded with innuendo, with some games in the series even having strip clubs for the player to visit. Grand Theft Auto's worst protagonist Trevor even used one as his base of operations. With that in mind, the idea of bringing casinos to GTA 6 doesn't sound particularly far-fetched.
By their very nature, casinos could offer players gambling minigames. Plenty of other games have done so, and Red Dead Redemption 2 even has gambling challenges. Since another Rockstar title included casinos, it wouldn't be surprising if their flagship series did the same. Even beyond being a hub for minigames, casinos would fit right in with the already established mood of Vice City. As the name implies, it is a place where one's vices are at their fingertips, and gambling is an impressively large vice. Its absence from the original Vice City feels more like a mistake than anything. GTA 6 can realize Vice City's promise, and bringing in casinos can be a part of that.
While things such as Pokémon's game corner were controversial, gambling and casinos in mature games are not a new concept. Besides, the type of excess that casinos represent is a perfect accompaniment to Vice City, even with the original 80s setting having long since ed. Adding some casinos to GTA 6 would not only make sense, but it could give players a new way to spend their downtime as well.
Casinos Would Be Perfect For GTA's Popular Heist Missions
When it comes to deciding the best missions in the Grand Theft Auto series, most fans would agree that the various heists are top contenders. The fact that Grand Theft Auto 5 used heists as major set pieces in every act of the story as well as GTA Online's impressive collection of heists did nothing to cool fans' enthusiasm for them. Past games and even films have shown that casinos make a perfect setting for a big heist, and Grand Theft Auto 6 could have a major opportunity to create a show-stopping mission.
For one, casinos, especially hotel-style casinos that one would imagine being the target of a big heist, are excellent settings for such a mission. The bright lights and constant action of the casino floor is a perfect backdrop for a dynamic cash grab. Slot machines could explode from wayward bullets, and poker chips can be sent flying as characters slide over game tables to make their escape from the chaos. There are plenty of ways to justify such a mission as well. The heist planner could be a high-stakes player who got cheated out of their winnings, or a card counter who never even got to play. A revenge-fueled casino heist could liven up a modern-day Vice City. After GTA Online's Diamond Casino Heist, GTA 6 has an opportunity to raise the bar.
Grand Theft Auto has a legacy of producing excellent heist missions, and Grand Theft Auto 6 could continue that with a grand casino heist. GTA 5 has ittedly set a high bar for heists in the series but if GTA 6 is dedicated to being bigger and better, it can bring something amazing. A casino would be the perfect setting for such a mission.
A Casino Would Perfectly Represent GTA 6's High-Stakes Protagonists
Grand Theft Auto games are not an easy journey for their protagonists, and GTA 6's duo are likely to be no exception. Even Tommy in Vice City, who still had with his boss, was put into a completely new city where he had little to no influence. They have to take big risks, and nothing embodies risk better than a casino. GTA 6's leaks don't reflect the full game, so one can't be too surprised if the game does go down this route.
There are a lot of places where a casino would make sense to drop into the narrative. Perhaps one could be in the intro mission, with the protagonists escaping from a botched score. One could also appear at their rise to power, likely in a heist as mentioned previously. This could be an emblem of the protagonists making a big bet on themselves and winning, becoming power players in Vice City's underworld. No matter where they were placed, casinos could be a powerful metaphor in the game. After all, like gambling, crime is a dangerous game, so the protagonists need to step lightly.
With what is known about GTA 6's protagonists so far, however little that may be, it's not unfair to assume that casinos would be a good thematic companion to their story. Even as a duo, taking on the criminal element of a place like Vice City is risky. GTA 6's main characters are likely going to be gambling with their lives until the end credits.
Casinos were one of the biggest things missing from Vice City, so bringing them into GTA 6 would be a smart move. There is plenty that they can offer to the game, from a source of cash and games to a fantastic backdrop for a gunfight. Adding a few casinos to Vice City for Grand Theft Auto 6 can give the city the extra edge that it was missing in the past.
