Summary
An early build version ofGrand Theft Auto: Vice Cityhas been uncovered, revealing a few interesting tidbits about the game’s development and what the title could have looked like. First shared on social media, the pre-launch copy ofGrand Theft Auto: Vice Cityincludes several interesting differences when compared to the full game, some of which will surprise hardcore fans of Rockstar’s catalog.
There’s no doubt thatRockstar has created some of the best open worldsin the video game industry, with Vice City being one of them. Released over two decades ago and steeped in neon and a vibrant 1980s aesthetic,Grand Theft Auto: Vice Cityremains one of Rockstar’s most interesting worlds to date and, as such, has spawned a dedicated community of fans. These fans are constantly looking for every new bit of information aboutVice City, leading to this most recent leak, which reveals a few surprising details about the game.
Shared onTwitterbyGTAcontent creator and scooper Vadim M., this newly discovered pre-release version ofGrand Theft Auto: Vice Cityhas a lot going on under the hood. Believed to be a PS2 build of the game dated June 06, 2025, this version ofVice Cityfeatures several changes when compared to the full release. Various car and character models are different, as are select music tracks.Vice City’s iconic introand cutscene animations are also different in this pre-release version. While unconfirmed, leakers speculate that this build ofVice Citywas made for GameSpot just a month prior to its full release.
Early Version of GTA: Vice City Leaks Online
Leaks are nothing new for Rockstar, with the studio becoming one of the most high-profile companies in the video game industry. Fans are always clamoring for more information regarding Rockstar’s next project, with some going above and beyond to break the news illegally. While the studio has faced numerous instances of unfortunate leaks, none have been as large or as surprising aswhat happened withGrand Theft Auto 6in 2023, when hours of footage was revealed which resulted in the arrest of a notable hacker.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Cityhas always been one of Rockstar’s most beloved releases, even more so now with the previously mentionedGrand Theft Auto 6on the horizon.GTA 6was long rumored to take fans back to Vice City, which acts as Rockstar’s exaggerated and custom version of the real-life city of Miami. These rumors swirled for some time until leaks all but provedGTA 6would, in fact, be returning to Vice City. However, this familiar locale is one small part of the puzzle, withGTA 6’s home actually being Loenida, Rockstar’s version of Florida. An official release date forGTA 6is still yet to be announced, though the game is expected to launch sometime later in 2025.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the 1980s. From the decade of big hair, excess, and pastel suits comes a story of one man’s rise to the top of the criminal pile as Grand Theft Auto returns.Vice City is a huge urban sprawl ranging from the beach to the swamps and the glitz to the ghetto, and is the most varied, complete, and alive digital city ever created. Combining non-linear gameplay with a character-driven narrative, you arrive in a town brimming with delights and degradation and are given the opportunity to take it over as you choose.
