GTA 6 copies Miami: IlloJuan visits the real locations
Updated
IlloJuan matches GTA 6 trailer and gameplay scenes to real Miami buildings, from Jason and Lucia's demolished flat to Ocean Drive's hotels.
GTA 6 copies Miami building by building, so you can walk through many of the real locations behind its trailers. YouTube creator IlloJuan says so in the first Miami Stories video, published on November 1, 2026, and Rockstar Games hasn't confirmed it.
The trailers already hinted that Vice City borrows from Miami, and the account @GTAVI_Countdown posted an X thread matching 20 buildings to their real twins. Nobody had stood in front of them yet. IlloJuan flew to Miami to check them one by one.
Which GTA 6 Miami locations can you visit?
In the first episode of Miami Stories, IlloJuan visits the Miami spots he says appear in the GTA 6 trailers and…
In the first episode of Miami Stories, IlloJuan visits the Miami spots he says appear in the GTA 6 trailers and gameplay. The series will run for 5 videos, and this one focuses on locations. Rockstar Games hasn't said which real buildings each scene is based on.
Local outlet Miami New Times had already built an interactive map of 20 buildings from the first trailer, including The Floridian in Miami Beach and several Ocean Drive hotels. That map comes from a viral X thread, not from a Rockstar confirmation.
- What it is
- First Miami Stories video, a 5-video series by IlloJuan
- Where
- IlloJuan's YouTube channel
- When
- November 1, 2026
- With
- Spok, according to the video description
Jason and Lucia's flat is gone
The building Jason and Lucia leave in the gameplay was demolished, according to IlloJuan.
The building Jason and Lucia leave in the gameplay was demolished, according to IlloJuan. He says Rockstar scouted it in 2015 and it was torn down in 2023 (09:12).
Listing photos of the flat's interior survive, and IlloJuan says they match the kitchen and living room in the trailer. He thinks it could be one of the game's safehouses, though he admits he doesn't know which.
As for Jason Duval's house, he points to a Leonida Keys area because of the kind of homes there, and notes that the main street shares a name with the character's surname.
From the flat's scouting to the Miami video
- 2015Rockstar scouts the buildingAccording to IlloJuan, during its Miami research
- 2023Building demolishedAccording to IlloJuan, who shows interior photos
- 27 Aug 2026An Extended LookRockstar releases the video where IlloJuan places Lucia's run
- 1 Nov 2026Miami Stories #1IlloJuan uploads the first episode
Source: IlloJuan and Rockstar Games
Venetian Causeway, One Biscayne and Wells Fargo
The Venetian Causeway is the bridge in the gameplay where a character jumps, IlloJuan says (11:48).
The Venetian Causeway is the bridge in the gameplay where a character jumps, IlloJuan says (11:48). Miami New Times adds that the 1000 Venetian Way building on the same causeway is recreated with its star pattern.
One Biscayne Tower shows up as Megamundo, a parody of Telemundo, in a gameplay mission with the curve of the train line behind it, according to IlloJuan (14:11).
He places Lucia's run in An Extended Look at the corner of the Wells Fargo building (19:54). Rockstar released that 26:48 video on August 27, 2026.
Which Ocean Drive hotels appear in GTA 6?
The Cardozo hotel appears as Hotel Dominion in the trailer, and the Victor as Hotel Dixon in the first one, according…
The Cardozo hotel appears as Hotel Dominion in the trailer, and the Victor as Hotel Dixon in the first one, according to IlloJuan (28:32). Miami New Times agrees on the Victor's new name.
The Breakwater becomes Hotel Boardwalk, per Miami New Times, which cites copyright concerns as the reason. IlloJuan says a bit of the Boardwalk is visible in the trailer.
| Real hotel | GTA 6 name | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Cardozo | Hotel Dominion | IlloJuan, from the trailer |
| Victor | Hotel Dixon | IlloJuan and Miami New Times |
| Breakwater | Hotel Boardwalk | Miami New Times |
The Colony, IlloJuan adds, is the hotel model that was reused along the seafront in the original Vice City (30:41).
A route you can follow or recognize
If you travel to Miami, you get a route of real spots that IlloJuan matches to the game.
If you travel to Miami, you get a route of real spots that IlloJuan matches to the game. If you don't, you'll know what to look for while playing. GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, according to Rockstar.
None of the matches is official, so some may differ from what you see that day. Jason and Lucia's flat no longer exists in Miami, but it will still be standing in Leonida.
What's left of Miami Stories
IlloJuan says the series will cover more ground, from the Ambrosia plantations to the Grass Rivers wetlands, to see…
IlloJuan says the series will cover more ground, from the Ambrosia plantations to the Grass Rivers wetlands, to see whether the realism Rockstar promises shows up.
Rockstar hasn't commented on the series or published a list of real locations. According to IlloJuan, the next videos arrive over the coming weeks, before the November 19 launch.
FAQ
Can you visit Jason and Lucia's flat in Miami?
No. According to IlloJuan, the building seen in the gameplay was demolished in 2023.
Has Rockstar confirmed these locations?
No. The matches come from IlloJuan and Miami New Times, and Rockstar Games hasn't published a list of real places.
How many Miami Stories videos are there?
IlloJuan says in the description that there will be 5 videos, and the first went up on November 1, 2026.
Cover image: IlloJuan (YouTube) (YouTube)
Sources
News like this, recapped weekly in your inbox
Keep reading
Comments0
Be the first to comment.