Grand Theft Auto VI has taken centre stage at Game Informer, with the magazine revealing a major new cover story packed with fresh information from Rockstar Games.

The new issue puts GTA 6 protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos on its cover in original artwork supplied by Rockstar. More importantly, the accompanying 14-page feature promises exclusive interviews, previously undisclosed details about Leonida and a collection of 12 new screenshots.

For fans waiting to understand how Rockstar has built its enormous Florida-inspired setting, this could be one of the most revealing pieces of GTA 6 coverage yet.

Game Informer Goes Inside the World of GTA 6

Game Informer’s Marcus Stewart spoke with several lead designers at Rockstar Games for the feature. Rather than concentrating entirely on missions or the story, the interviews explore how the studio created Vice City and Leonida.

That distinction matters.

Rockstar has already shown plenty of the game’s visual identity through trailers and its extended gameplay presentation. However, the technology and research behind the world have remained less thoroughly explained.

The Game Informer feature begins filling in those gaps.

According to the publication, the story examines Rockstar’s research into Miami and Florida, including the work required to reproduce the region’s culture and visual character. Stewart also brings his own perspective as a lifelong South Florida native.

Rockstar is clearly aiming for more than a familiar tropical backdrop. Leonida is being designed as a fictional state with its own people, wildlife, climate and regional identity.

GTA 6 Has an Advanced Weather System

One of the most interesting revelations concerns GTA 6’s weather system.

Game Informer says its conversations with Rockstar include previously unshared details about advanced weather technology designed to simulate the less pleasant side of Florida’s climate.

That could be significant for a game set in a region where weather can change dramatically.

Rockstar has naturally shown Vice City under bright sunshine, with beaches, palm trees and vivid skies dominating much of the promotional material. Yet Florida is also associated with intense rain, thunderstorms and rapidly changing conditions.

A more sophisticated system could give Leonida a very different atmosphere depending on when and where players are travelling.

The real question is whether those conditions affect gameplay or primarily serve as environmental simulation. Game Informer’s cover reveal does not fully answer that yet. Still, confirmation that Rockstar has invested in recreating Florida’s more turbulent weather is notable.

Leonida Will Be Packed With Wildlife

Weather is only part of Rockstar’s environmental work.

The cover story also examines the remarkable amount of GTA 6 wildlife spread throughout Leonida. Animals will reportedly appear across land, air and water, including species native to the region as well as others that are not.

This fits what Rockstar has already shown.

Previous GTA 6 footage has included alligators, birds and other animals throughout the game’s Florida-inspired environments. The new information suggests those appearances are not isolated details created simply for trailers.

Instead, wildlife appears to form a substantial part of Leonida’s ecosystem.

That could help distinguish GTA 6 from GTA 5. Los Santos offered an enormous playground, but Leonida seems designed to place greater emphasis on the transition between dense urban areas and less controlled natural environments.

Vice City may be the headline attraction, but Rockstar clearly wants the wider state to matter.

Rockstar Researched Miami and Florida Closely

The scale of Rockstar’s research is another major focus of the feature.

Game Informer says the studio discussed its approach to studying Miami and Florida as it worked to create what Rockstar intends to be an unusually accurate representation of the region’s culture and aesthetics.

Of course, Grand Theft Auto has never attempted literal reconstruction. Its cities exaggerate, combine and parody real locations.

Vice City follows the same philosophy.

However, believable parody depends on recognisable details. Architecture, neighbourhoods, roadside businesses, vegetation, vehicles and local behaviour all contribute to whether the fictional location feels convincing.

Rockstar’s attention to those details could explain why Leonida has appeared so varied across the material released so far.

12 New GTA 6 Screenshots Accompany the Feature

The cover story is accompanied by 12 exclusive GTA 6 screenshots showing additional locations and residents across Rockstar’s world.

That makes the Game Informer issue particularly interesting for fans studying the game before release.

Every new official screenshot can reveal small details that move too quickly to notice in a trailer. Clothing, vehicles, businesses, architecture and background characters can provide additional clues about how Rockstar is constructing its open world.

The magazine itself also receives exclusive artwork.

Rockstar created an original cover featuring Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, giving collectors another official piece of GTA 6 artwork outside the game’s standard promotional images.

Jason and Lucia Remain at the Heart of GTA 6

Putting Jason and Lucia together on the cover also reflects Rockstar’s wider marketing strategy.

The pair remain inseparable from GTA 6’s identity.

Rockstar has positioned their relationship at the centre of the story, with both characters becoming caught in a wider criminal conspiracy after a score goes wrong. The Bonnie and Clyde comparisons are obvious, but Rockstar appears interested in the pressure that their criminal lives place on their trust in one another.

That relationship unfolds against a much larger backdrop.

Leonida is not simply a location connecting missions. Everything revealed about the game’s weather, wildlife, communities and regional research suggests Rockstar wants the state itself to become one of GTA 6’s defining characters.

Game Informer’s GTA 6 Issue Arrives at a Crucial Time

The timing is notable. GTA 6 is scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, placing the game increasingly close to release.

As that date approaches, Rockstar can gradually move beyond broad trailers and begin explaining the systems underneath its open world.

Game Informer’s cover story appears to be part of that transition.

The digital edition is scheduled to become available on September 29, while print copies will reach subscribers and retailers afterward. The GTA 6 edition is being offered for a limited period.

There are still major questions surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI, particularly regarding mission structure, exploration and the full extent of player freedom. However, these new details provide a clearer picture of Rockstar’s priorities.

Vice City will naturally attract much of the attention. Yet the bigger story may be Leonida itself.

If Rockstar’s weather technology, wildlife systems and extensive regional research come together as intended, GTA 6’s open world could feel considerably more alive than a simple expansion of Los Santos. That is precisely what makes Game Informer’s deeper look at Leonida worth watching.