THE next Grand Theft Auto game will be set in Brazil, according to one fan theory.
Writing on Reddit this week, netizens made the bold prediction after studying alleged leaked images of the in-game map of GTA 6.
- Read the latest stories for PS5
- Keep up-to-date with all the Xbox news
- Read the latest gaming news
They speculated that the hotly-anticipated game will be at least partly set in Rio de Janeiro.
The map images, which surfaced last year, appear to share features with the bustling South American city, according to the Reddit thread.
“The bottom city is RIO DE JANEIRO in the leaked maos [sic],” the original poster wrote on May 26.
It’s the latest in a string of rumours and so-called leaks about the hotly-anticipated crime simulator from American developer Rockstar.
Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA:V) came out way back in 2013, so gamers are desperate for a new entry to the series.
But Take Two and Rockstar are playing their cards close to their chest, keeping details of the yet-to-be-announced title a secret.
The Reddit thread used an image purporting to reveal the in-game map of Grand Theft Auto 6 that recently emerged online.
The map, which was shared on 4Chan, features a section of what looks like a small island with a bustling city that gives way to rolling hills and forests.
Other details include what appears to be an airport, as well as a string of roads that snake across the virtual location.
Writing in response to the Reddit post, one user offered support for the shot-in-the-dark-theory.
“I don’t know if [the map] is real. But if it is, the city is Rio,” they wrote.
They added that the leaked map features what could be Rio landmarks Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer.
“The lagoon and the Santos-Dumont Airport are also in place,” they added.
Other commenters weren’t so sure.
“No it’s not,” one user responded. “Wishful thinking but no.”
Of course, there’s no way of knowing that the map image is legit, or whether it mirrors Rio, so take it with a huge pinch of salt for now.
Fake maps for upcoming Rockstar games have been posted online before, such as the “leaked” map for Bully 2 that went viral in 2019.
We likely won’t know anything concrete on GTA 6 until Rockstar officially announces the game ahead of its rumoured 2023 launch.