The Grand Theft Auto franchise is known for parodying reality and tackling complex subjects through humor. GTA VI will continue that tradition, so we can expect an irreverent experience. However, its creators deliberately avoided satirizing real-life political figures such as Donald Trump.

Is this a case of self-censorship? Are the developers afraid of causing a major controversy if they tackle those kinds of subjects? Not at all. Instead, Rockstar Games chose to create an exaggerated version of reality rather than focus too heavily on accurately replicating it.

Grand Theft Auto VI sátira social Florida

GTA VI deliberately avoids specific references to U.S. politics

You could argue that American politics are an integral part of the franchise, as they help shape its overall context and tone. Even so, looking back, none of the series’ games has made an overly specific reference to a real-life political figure or event.

Grand Theft Auto VI will follow that same approach and keep things vague. Speaking with Love Magazine, Rupert Humphries, Rockstar Games’ senior vice president of narrative, explained how the team approached political themes in the latest installment.

The writer emphasized that they tried to avoid tying their parody of Leonida and Vice City too closely to specific political figures or groups from the real world. That seemingly keeps highly controversial figures such as Donald Trump and his MAGA movement out of the conversation.

“Because we try to make games that feel very specific to the moment they’re released, but at the same time don’t reflect the exact world we live in, we don’t want to be too specific about any particular person, event, movement, or anything like that,” Rupert Humphries explained.

Of course, there are some notable exceptions. The writer recalled GTA IV, which delved into the rise of Homeland Security and the Patriot Act. However, he pointed out that those topics made sense within the game’s story. With Grand Theft Auto VI, the goal is therefore to create an exaggerated version of Florida without directly referencing real-life figures.

“When you’re making a game set in Florida, there’s an awful lot to go at. We worked very hard on developing our world, filling it with all the characters and cultural conflicts needed to make it come alive. And we have plenty of ways to tell those stories without needing to directly interact with the characters,” the writer said.

Donald Trump GTA VI

Rockstar Games wants Grand Theft Auto VI to stand the test of time

Of course, the game won’t be completely detached from politics. In one of the official screenshots, we can see campaign posters for a candidate named Erin Henshaw, who is seeking votes from the people of Ambrosia. Players will also receive survey calls and hear political ads.

But once again, Rupert Humphries stressed that these elements are meant to create a distorted version of Florida rather than a faithful recreation.

“We’re not focused on reflecting reality, we’re focused on satirizing everything, exaggerating it, and making it even more grotesque. If we didn’t, we might as well just go outside and live in the real world! We try to get to the heart of the matter and then exploit the part that interests us until the absurdity of the situation becomes apparent and, hopefully, funny as well,” the writer explained.

There is another important factor to consider: the passage of time. GTA V debuted in 2013, while Grand Theft Auto VI will arrive in November 2026. If Rockstar Games had tried to recreate trends that became popular during development, it could have risked creating an outdated product.

“We’re working on it for years and years, so you have to create content that feels essential at the moment of release. If there’s a trend that becomes popular for 6 months, you have to see it for what it is and not jump on the bandwagon.”

GTA VI Jason policía

But tell us, do you think GTA VI should dare to parody Donald Trump and other U.S. political issues? Or do you prefer Rockstar Games’ approach? Let us know in the comments.