Vice City and the 1980s are inseparable in GTA fans' minds, so the theory that GTA 6 will revisit that era keeps circulating. It's a fun idea with some logic behind it — and no official backing. Here's where it stands.
What's confirmed about the setting
GTA 6 is set in the present day. Rockstar's materials place Jason and Lucia in a modern Leonida built around a contemporary Vice City. The 1980s Vice City of the 2002 game is a separate continuity. So the default expectation is a fully modern story.
The theory
The fan theory proposes a prologue or specific flashback missions set in 1980s Vice City before the story settles into 2026 — a nod to the location's heritage and a way to contrast eras. The reasoning fans point to: Vice City's identity is tied to the decade, and Rockstar has used time-jumping structure before, most notably Red Dead Redemption 2's prologue and the original GTA 5's opening flashback.
Why to treat it as a theory
There's no Rockstar confirmation and no strong leak establishing 1980s flashback content. It's plausible storytelling, not a reported feature. Rockstar could just as easily keep the game entirely present-day and reference the past through radio, characters, and environment rather than playable flashbacks.
It's a good theory to enjoy, not a detail to bank on. If flashbacks exist, expect Rockstar to reveal them on its own terms.
