GTA 6 Reveals Map Size, Weather, and 170+ Animal Species

Rockstar Games has allowed Game Informer to lift the curtain on a substantial batch of new GTA 6 details, published September 29, 2026, covering everything from the sheer scale of the Leonida map to simulated hurricanes, more than 170 animal species, and reworked police and heist systems.

A Map Twice the Size of GTA 5, Split Across Six Regions

According to Xboxygen, Rockstar North co-studio head Aaron Garbut describes Leonida as the largest map the studio has ever built, calling it approximately twice the size of GTA 5’s world while also being denser and more interactive. As GamesRadar notes, Rockstar says it has never built anything close to this scale before. The map is divided into six named regions: Vice City, a modernized and enlarged take on Miami; Leonida Keys, modeled on the Florida Keys; Grassrivers, the game’s Everglades equivalent; Port Gellhorn, a fading tourist area filled with cheap motels and abandoned attractions; Ambrosia, an industrial heartland home to factories and a biker gang; and Mount Kalaga National Park in the north. Push Square reports that 13 new screenshots accompanied the reveal, showcasing the world’s density. Rural stretches between northern cities include ATV trails, mud festival parks, oval dirt racing tracks, motocross dunes, ranches, a private golf course, and lakes where players can fish.

Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and a Fully Rebuilt Weather System

Weather is one of GTA 6’s most technically ambitious additions. IGN confirms that Rockstar has built a system capable of simulating full tropical storms and hurricanes, complete with violent winds, heavy rain, lightning, thunder, and water cascading across buildings and street furniture. Dexerto reports that the wind model accounts for ocean breezes, updrafts, and even building geometry, with hair, debris, marsh grass, and water all reacting to gusts. Weather is now localized, meaning a player can stand in sunshine while watching a storm roll in kilometers away. Rain leaves persistent wet surfaces and puddles after it passes, and rainbows can form when lighting conditions are right. Gamekult notes that storm frequency and any potential mission impact have not yet been specified by Rockstar.

Over 170 Animal Species Across Distinct Ecosystems

Wildlife is getting a major expansion in GTA 6. IGN reports that Rockstar has confirmed more than 170 animal species distributed across Leonida’s varied environments. The breakdown includes over 60 bird species, more than 30 land mammals, fish, reptiles, and aquatic species. Confirmed animals include alligators, manatees, flamingos, and pelicans. Each species is placed within a specific ecosystem, whether urban, rural, oceanic, freshwater, or swamp. Rockstar says it conducted dedicated research to accurately reproduce each animal’s appearance, movement, and animations. Pure Xbox highlighted this wildlife system as one of the five most significant takeaways from the Game Informer cover story.

Sources: Xboxygen, Gamekult, GamesRadar, Pure Xbox, IGN, IGN, Push Square, Dexerto