Over the years, the Grand Theft Auto series has created tons of fan-favorite characters, including a gallery of villains full of personality. With GTA V, the developers at Rockstar decided to do things a little differently as they lampooned the Hollywood elite and rich tech bros with Devin Weston. And here’s the thing, for an annoying, dudebro with more than enough money to make himself think he’s funny and interesting, Rockstar did a great job with Weston. That said, Weston’s personality made him an insufferable nerd you couldn’t wait to get rid of. Not a compelling, over-the-top villain that made many of the previous antagonists so unforgettable.
It is important to note that some of the most memorable GTA bad guys have the benefit of a major Hollywood name attached. Would Officer Tenpenny be as beloved if he weren’t voiced by Samuel L. Jackson? If Danny Trejo wasn’t playing Umberto Robina, would fans still care about him?
Those are fair questions to ask, but you only have to look at San Andreas‘ Big Smoke to realize that Grand Theft Auto can make a villain you love to hate without a big-name voice behind them. Sure, Clifton Powell has been in several movies and TV shows, but unless you’re a big enough fan of Next Friday to recognise the voice of the guy who owns the record store Day Day works at, you probably didn’t know it was him.
We also know that Rockstar can still write over-the-top bad guys because GTA V‘s Trevor is that person turned into an unlikely hero. Sure, some people balk at Trevor’s penchant for violence, but he’s quick-witted and slimy in a way that fits right in with classic GTA antagonists. Drop the 1986 version of Trevor into Vice City and have him come for Tommy Vercetti, and no one would bat an eye.
That might be what makes guys like Weston and Steve Haines feel so bland. Sure, they’re easy to hate, but it’s more like an annoying stepbrother. You can’t wait for it to be the weekend, so they have to go to their mom’s, but you mostly feel sorry for them.
They’re the epitome of lame and just happened to come into enough money and power to make everyone around them miserable. It works for the vibe of Los Santos, but if the GTA characters ever have a high school reunion, Catalina and Vlad will be wondering if they even went here.
The good news is that you could not pick a better destination than Vice City to turn Grand Theft Auto’s villain “problem” back around. That city is filled with personality. Sure, Los Santos, and by extension Los Angeles, is known for glitz and glamour, but Miami? That’s a whole different ball game, ladies and gentlemen.
The word “bombastic” is the first one to come to mind. Between the thriving beach culture, the lively nightlife, and the melting pot of several cultures, there aren’t many more exciting cities than Miami. On top of that, GTA 6 is set to let players explore Leonidas, the series’ version of Florida.
We’re sure the “Florida Man” meme will be overplayed (it already has been in real life), but it’s worth remembering that this is a state known for outlandish behavior.
That makes it easy to imagine Rockstar giving us some of the most unforgettable characters in the GTA series’ long history. If any game was set up to have a cadre of villains that fans love to hate, it’s GTA 6. We don’t know much about the story at this point, but it’s safe to say that Rockstar has plenty of options for lampooning the Sunshine State and influencer culture.
Our biggest hope is that Rockstar goes back to the multiple factions that made some of the older GTA games so popular. Thankfully, GTA 6 has several built-in from Vice City, though many of them will need to be updated to modernize things. That said, if we don’t see the Vice City Bikers and Umberto Robina’s Cubans make a comeback, we’ll be extremely disappointed. And hopefully, Rockstar doesn’t focus too much on the government, as that would feel like it’s going back to the well a bit too much after Haines in GTA V.
Either way, Rockstar needs to get back to villains you love to hate instead of bad guys you just want off your screen. Thankfully, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Micah Bell showed that the devs still have the chops to deliver a great villain, and Vice City is the perfect place to get back on track.
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