GTA VI Easter eggs: confirmed references and nods
The confirmed GTA VI Easter eggs in official material: the Wonder Whale statue (Florida Keys' Betsy the Lobster), the Caribbean club where Key Largo was filmed, the Miami Heat-inspired Sahara Arena, the returning Ocean View Hotel and Phil Cassidy advertising his gun store.
GTA VI’s official material already stacks up a collection of Easter eggs and references, most of them nods to real Florida and the original 2002 Vice City.
Real-Florida references
- Wonder Whale: the giant statue in the Leonida Keys is Rockstar’s take on Betsy the Lobster, the famous giant lobster of the Florida Keys, one of those absurd roadside monuments scattered across the state.
- Caribbean club: the club in trailer 2 recreates the venue where Key Largo (1948), the Bogart and Bacall film, was shot.
- Sahara Arena: Leonida’s version of the Miami Heat arena.
Nods to 2002’s Vice City
- Ocean View Hotel: Tommy Vercetti’s first safehouse returns modernized, 24 years later, in the same city.
- Phil Cassidy: trailer 2 includes a TV ad for an ammo store starring the veteran character born in Vice City. His presence in the final game is not confirmed.
The meta nod
In the Phil Cassidy ad scene, a PS5 console and its controller sit openly on the living-room table: trailer 2 was captured on a PS5, and Rockstar chose to leave it in plain sight.
Classic and new businesses
The list of businesses spotted in the material includes series classics like Ammu-Nation and new names like The Rusty Anchor and the Starlet Motel.
Source: IGN
Related
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GTA VI weapons: every one spotted so far
No weapon is official yet, but between the trailers and the screenshots nine are already identified by name: .357 revolver, 9mm pistols, an AR-15, a bolt-action rifle, Lucia's grenade launcher, MP5s in the heist, an M14 hunting rifle and a golf club. The Ammu-Nation ad shows even more.
Leonida Keys
A tropical archipelago in Leonida. Rockstar describes an easy life beside beautiful but dangerous waters; Jason and Brian’s profiles supply the smuggling context.
Vice City
The city of neon and excess returns as Leonida's criminal capital: luxury beaches, characterful neighborhoods and a booming music scene.
Frequently asked questions
What Easter eggs does GTA VI have?
Several are already confirmed in official material: the Wonder Whale statue inspired by Betsy the Lobster, the Caribbean club where Key Largo was filmed, the Sahara Arena (the Miami Heat's arena), the returning Ocean View Hotel from 2002 and a TV ad with Phil Cassidy.
Is the Ocean View Hotel back in GTA VI?
Yes. The Ocean Beach hotel that was Tommy Vercetti's first safehouse in GTA: Vice City (2002) appears modernized in promotional material, 24 years later.
Does Phil Cassidy appear in GTA VI?
Trailer 2 shows a TV ad for an ammo store starring Phil Cassidy, the veteran character born in Vice City. His presence in the final game is not confirmed.
Is there a PS5 hidden in GTA VI trailer 2?
Yes. In the Phil Cassidy ad scene, a PS5 console and its controller sit openly on the living-room table: a meta nod, because trailer 2 was captured on a PS5.
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