From the information available so far it is very likely that GTA 6 will have the biggest map ever for an open world RPG. However, trust me, a smaller map than even GTA 5 would definitely make the game better. There's no chance for that to happen, as Rockstar is aiming to break all the records.

The thing is that, adding a bunch of meaning less empty wilderness does not add much to the gaming experience.

GTA 5’s Map Had Too Much Empty Space

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What’s the Point of Blaine County?

While GTA 5's playable area is big, the area with content is actually smaller than tons of other open world games. Los Santos is barely bigger than GTA 4’s Liberty City, but then they tacked on a bunch of pointless countryside up north. Those rural areas just don’t deliver fun exploration, and I think GTA 6 would be better off ditching them since that’s not what the series is great at.

I’m not saying GTA 6 should have zero wilderness. Vice City, GTA’s Miami, wouldn’t feel right without some Everglades or Florida Keys vibes. But they don’t need to take up half the map. Los Santos and Liberty City from the last two games were solid sizes—add some reasonably sized natural areas (or even separate zones), and you’re good.

A Bigger Map Doesn’t Mean a Better One

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Quality Beats Quantity

The gaming world’s mostly moved past thinking bigger is always better, but it’s still a problem sometimes. The larger the map, the harder it is to pack it with stuff worth doing. Even The Witcher 3, which I love, struggles with this—chasing those map question marks (especially in Skellige) can feel like a slog. And don’t get me started on super-ambitious games like Starfield, which I like despite its issues.

Rockstar seems to get that open-world maps need purpose. Red Dead Redemption 2’s huge map works because it’s about surviving the wild frontier, with activities that fit the theme. But that’s not GTA’s deal. GTA shines in city settings and mostly stuck to those until GTA 5 threw in some small towns and a mountain. For GTA 6, I’d rather see more detailed interiors with Rockstar’s knack for making places feel real and lived-in. Since it’s set in Leonida (GTA’s Florida), I’m worried we’ll get huge stretches of water with nothing to do in them.