Grand Theft Auto VI (Johnsonverse)

Grand Theft Auto VI is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, a subsidiary of Johnson Games. It is the first main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series since 2013's Grand Theft Auto V. Set across the United States (including the cities Vice City and Liberty City, along with the state of San Andreas), the single-player story follows six criminals, all with their own storylines, and their efforts to make a living while avoiding the corrupt government and going on the run. The open-world design lets players freely roam the United States.

The game is played from either a third-person or first-person perspective, and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle. Players control the six lead protagonists throughout single-player and switch among them, both during and outside missions. Many missions involve shooting and driving gameplay. A "wanted" system governs the aggression of law enforcement response to players who commit crimes. The revamped Grand Theft Auto Online allows players to do multiplayer missions in a part of the country in real time; the player can also do these missions with AI-controlled characters in response to issues with leavers and trolls in its GTA V equivalent. In addition, GTAO players can import their protagonist from the GTA V version to the new one.

Development began shortly before Grand Theft Auto V 's release. The game was released on October 22, 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and will be released on October 21, 2021 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Extensively marketed and widely anticipated, the game broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, earning $900 million in its first day and $1.5 billion in its first three days. It received widespread critical acclaim, with praise directed at its story (considered to be darker than that of Grand Theft Auto IV), multiple protagonist design, open world, presentation and gameplay. However, it caused controversies related to its depiction of violence; one major controversy involved the new destruction system, and the fact that one mission involves flying a UAV into a skyscraper very much like 9/11, as well as the presence of grossly-exaggerated caricatures of Donald Trump, critics of the series, and PETA, and a mission depicting a mass shooting at a school. Considered one of eighth generation console gaming's most significant titles and among the best video games ever made, it won year-end accolades including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications. It is currently the best-selling video game of all time with over 200 million copies shipped and one of the most financially successful entertainment products of all time, with about $10 billion in worldwide revenue. Three episodic expansion packs entitled "Bowling and Loathing", "Cesar's Chance", and "Tale from Vice", respectively focused on the characters Roman Bellic, Cesar Villipando, and Donny Corvino, will be released throughout 2020.

Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto VI is an action-adventure game played from either a third-person, first-person, or top-down perspective. Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Outside of the missions, players may freely roam the open world. Composed of the United States, the world is much larger in area than earlier entries in the series. It may be fully explored after the game's beginning without restriction, although story progress unlocks more gameplay content.

Players use melee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies, and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the world. In combat, auto-aim and a cover system may be used as assistance against enemies. Should players take damage, their health meter will gradually regenerate to its halfway point. Players respawn at hospitals when their health depletes. If players commit crimes, law enforcement agencies may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in the head-up display (HUD). Stars displayed on the meter indicate the current wanted level (for example, at the maximum six-star level, the National Guard is called in with soldiers, tanks, and Apache helicopters to lethally dispatch players). Law enforcement officers will search for players who leave the wanted vicinity. The meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes when players are hidden from the officers' line of sight that displays on the mini-map.

The single-player mode lets players control six characters—criminals whose stories interconnect as they complete missions. Some missions are completed with only one character and others feature two or three. Outside the missions, players may switch between characters at will by a directional compass on the HUD. In certain missions, players take control of protagonists from past games in the series, either from the HD Universe or the 3D Universe, as well as from the two Red Dead Redemption games, Bully and Manhunt. The game may switch characters automatically during missions to complete specific objectives. A character's compass avatar will flash red if he is in danger and needs help, and flash white if he has a strategic advantage. Though players complete missions as any of the three protagonists, the more difficult heist missions require aid from AI-controlled accomplices with unique skill sets like computer hacking and driving. If an accomplice survives a successful heist, they take a cut from the cash reward and may be available for later missions with improvements to their unique skills. Some heists afford multiple strategies; in a holdup mission, players may either stealthily subdue civilians with an incapacitating agent or conspicuously storm the venue with guns drawn. They can't hold guns at Bullworth Academy, and beating up children triggers a four-star wanted level (beating up little kids triggers a five-star level, and actually drawing a gun on school grounds triggers a cutscene where whatever teacher is nearby pulls a gun and wastes the protagonist; this was so players couldn't do school shootings, and is also a jab at the notion of teachers having guns in their desks to take on school shooters).

Each character has a set of eight skills that represent their ability in specific areas such as shooting and driving. Though skills improve through play, each character has a skill with expertise by default. The eighth "special" skill determines the effectiveness in performing an ability that is unique to each respective character. A meter on each character's HUD depletes when an ability is being used and regenerates when players perform skillful actions.

While free-roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such as scuba diving, BASE jumping, street racing, and stock car racing, as well as going bowling, playing darts, watching stand-up acts, going out on dates, and engaging in conversations with other people (the former three returning from IV, the fourth from San Andreas, and the latter being inspired by the game Scarface: The World is Yours). Each character has a smartphone for contacting friends, starting activities and accessing an in-game Internet. The Internet lets players trade in stocks via a stock market, purchase special vehicles, listen to the radio (which uses different radio stations for each state), watch TV, including the news, sports, and episodes of shows such as Republican Space Rangers and Princess Robot Bubblegum (with unique shows for each city affiliate), and read social media. Players may purchase properties such as garages and businesses, purchase and upgrade weapons at Ammu-Nation or acquire them from dealers like Emmet Long and Phil Cassidy, eat food at Cluckin' Bell, Burger Shot, The Well-Stacked Pizza Co., among other restaurants, and modify vehicles at TransFender, Max Paynt, and Pay & Spray (Los Santos Customs in San Andreas). Players may also visit places such as cinemas and strip clubs. Players can also customize their appearance by purchasing outfits (each individual article of clothing is customizable), haircuts and tattoos, as well as altering their body shape, either by eating food or by exercising, as well as their sex appeal, features not seen since San Andreas. In addition, they can do side missions called Rampages, in which they kill a set number of people or destroy a set number of vehicles.

New in GTA VI is a destruction system. Everything, from trees to buildings, can be destroyed, and even the landscape can be physically deformed; humans and animals can also be dismembered in realistic ways, such as decapitations and gibs. Vehicle deformation has also been improved, in that they can now be crushed flat by larger vehicles such as the Rhino. New vehicles include various types of trains (including passenger and freight trains that specifically carry Continental Rail-style lettering and colors, trams in Los Santos and Carcer City, cable cars in San Fierro, monorails in Las Venturas, the Liberty City subway, and an elevated rail system in Vice City based on the Miami Metrorail), riding mowers, combine harvesters, motorized tricycles, excavators, drones (including consumer drones and military UAVs), various military watercraft such as patrol and torpedo boats, other watercraft such as tugboats (which can tow other vessels as well as barges, a mechanic used in a series of side missions) and inland cargo ships, and hoverboards (which have a tendency to randomly explode). All of the vehicles, weapons, and features (such as arcades, casinos, and biker clubs) introduced in GTA V 's online mode are included in the base game, and several weapons from previous games have also been added, such the Flamethrower, Dildo, Vibrator, Fire Extinguisher, Chainsaw, Shovel, Katana, and Spray Can; new weapons include the Claymore and Sledgehammer.

Prologue
The prologue is a series of abridged recreations of big heists in past games, such as "The Job" from Vice City, "Breaking the Bank at Caligula's" from San Andreas (both of which are now set in their HD Universe counterparts while reusing the original audio; in "The Job", lines referencing SWAT are redubbed to reference N.O.O.S.E., its HD Universe counterpart), "Three Leaf Clover" from IV, and the obvious approach for "The Big Score" in V. The player then takes control of Josh Walton in a botched robbery of a Fleeca branch in Blaine County, where he manages to escape with $3,000 with the help of Trevor Philips and Lester Crest. Feeling downtrodden that he didn't get as much as he hoped, Trevor reassures him that, for his first take, three grand is pretty good, but ridicules his choice of a getaway vehicle (a combine harvester; Josh defends his choice by saying he was planning to use the header to mulch the cops, which Trevor laughs at for sounding like something he would do). He then takes him to Los Santos to get training in bank robbing from his friend, Michael De Santa.

Josh's Plot
Josh is assigned by Michael to take him to the bank so Michael can help him.

Epilogue
When Josh goes home, he gets a phone call from Toreno, who explains that Love is using him and Ellie.

Option A: "Love Hurts" (Go to Capitol City)
Josh decides to listen to Toreno, and wnen he and Elise go to Capitol City, they uncover Love's plan to turn the United States into a fascist dictatorship where all non-whites will be systematically exterminated. Love himself spots them, and orders them executed. This leads to Chuck Dollar betraying Love and Josh and Elise breaking out and fighting Love, who's using body armor. He threatens to brand Josh and Elise as terrorists supporting Japanese separatism if they kill him. When Josh and Elise kill him, they ask Love why he did this. Love reveals that he was a Neo-Nazi who thought the whole thing was an eldritch ritual to bring Adolf Hitler back from the dead, and only now realizes how purely insane it sounded in what seemed to be his first moment of lucidity in decades, before dying. The next day, Josh and Elise are back in their San Andreas home with Michael, Trevor, Franklin, Walt, Karissa, Cyndi, Tallie, Chris, Ellie, CJ, Denise, Sweet, Claude, Florence, Niko, Roman, Mallorie, Kate, Tommy, Pete, Stephen, and Ken all there, and watching a news report that Love was assassinated, his wife Jillian is dating a Vinewood producer named Kenny Orr, and Dollar has become the new President. He informs the nation of everything Love had done and planned to do, and promises to free the country from Love's agenda and make it great for everyone (not just the rich) again. The credits roll after Josh and Ellie decide to walk off their house as the nation descends into a brief yet destructive civil war between liberals and conservatives, as described by a post-game phone call between Josh and Toreno.

Option B: "Farewell, Fallon..." (Kill Chris)
Josh decides to

Playable

 * Joshua "Josh" Walton (voice and motion-capture performed by Tim Johnson) is a 26-year-old aspiring bank robber based in Los Santos. It is also heavily implied throughout the game that his and Elise's childhoods were abusive. Special ability: bullet time.
 * Elise Walton (voice and motion-capture performed by Chloe Johnson) is Josh's twin sister from Vice City, who is a mood-swinging psychopath more unhinged than Trevor Philips, to the point of bragging about having choked children to death in a fit of rage. Despite this, she loves her brother dearly, and is always ready to help. Special ability: rage.
 * Christopher "Chris" Fallon (voice and motion-capture performed by Bob Odenkirk) is a 48-year-old former cop. He lives in Liberty City, and works for Roman Bellic's cab service, though he also deals drugs on the side to make extra cash. Special ability: perfect accuracy.
 * Taliana "Tallie" Martinez (voice and motion-capture performed by Carolina Ravassa) is a 34-year-old former bank robber who now deals in boosting, modding, and reselling cars in San Fierro; this operation directly conflicts with Simeon's newest scam. She was a heist crew member in Grand Theft Auto V who proved popular enough to be promoted to playable. Special ability: slow down time while driving.
 * Walt Sanders (voice and motion-capture performed by Ving Rhames) is a 51-year-old arms dealer from Carcer City, and the father of nine-year-old Davey Sanders. His wife was killed in a gang war prior to the game's events, and he's out to avenge her by tracking its leader down to kill him. Special ability: dodging bullets.
 * Karissa Thorn (voice and motion-capture performed by Kyla Pratt) is a 23-year-old showgirl-turned-criminal based in Las Venturas. Special ability: stronger kicks and punches.

Vice City

 * Thomas "Tommy" Vercetti (voice and motion-capture performed by Ray Liotta) is a 68-year-old washed-up crime boss seeking to recapture the glory days of the 1980s with the help of the Walton twins and Ken Rosenberg, although the latter does so reluctantly due to Tommy cutting ties with him in 1992. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Stephen Winslow (voice and motion-capture performed by Chris Pratt) is a 37-year-old local mechanic and a member of the reformed Vercetti Gang.
 * Peter "Pete" Vance (voice and motion-capture performed by Armando Riesco) is the 60-year-ol brother of Victor and Lance Vance who moved to Vice City in 1999.
 * Dee-Dee "Dee Generate" Garcia (voice and motion-capture performed by Holly Fields) is the 59-year-old leader of the Royals of Vice.
 * Lazlow Jones (voice and motion-capture performed by Lazlow Jones) is a 57-year-old fading celebrity who's forced to move to Vice City and host a local, low-budget game show called Win Some, Lose Some after Gay Tony fired him from his San Andreas nightclub. He is forced to partner with the Cartel to deal drugs like SPANK, crack, meth and cocaine to make money, which he gets high on himself.
 * Mary-Beth Williams (voice and motion-capture performed by Scarlett Johansson) is the 35-year-old daughter of Louise Williams.
 * Raymond "Ray" Machowski (voice and motion-capture performed by Peter Appel) is a 61-year-old former Liberty City cop who moved to Vice City to avoid internal affairs and the IAA. Now the mayor, Ray's corruption hasn’t gone away, and he hires Elise to do the dirty work for him, such as slandering his political opponents to ensure he wins his reelection campaign. He is allied with the Corvino Crime Family.
 * Umberto Robina (voice and motion-capture performed by Danny Trejo) is the 75-year-old leader of Los Cabrones, a Cuban gang.
 * Esther "Auntie Poulet" Plymouth (voice and motion-capture performed by Youree Dell Cleomili Harris) is the 119-year-old leader of the Fanmi Kouto Yo (Family of the Knives), a Haitian gang. She is killed by Tommy during the mission "Date D'Expiration du Poulet" after Ken reminds him of his time with the gang.
 * Reni Wassulmaier (voice and motion-capture performed by Barbara Rosenblatt) is a 66-year-old transgender film director. She hires Elise to act in a film she's directing.
 * Isadore Papi (voice and motion-capture performed by Mike Judge) is the 72-year-old Don of the Papi Crime Family.
 * Katelyn Papi (voice and motion-capture performed by Serena Irwin) is Isadore's 60-year-old wife. She has a tendency to only wear a bra, skirt and shoes every day.
 * Wallace Papi (voice and motion-capture performed by Oscar Issac) is Isadore's 24-year-old, rather spoiled son and eventual successor. He also serves as the family underboss.
 * Giorgio Ricci (voice and motion-capture performed by Danny Mastrogiorgio) is the Caporegime of the family. He is rude to everyone outside the Papi family.
 * Issac Corvino (voice and motion-capture performed by Tony Sirico) is the 78-year-old Don of the Corvino Crime Family.
 * Samantha Corvino (voice and motion-capture performed by Alanna Ubach) is Issac's 30-year-old, recently married wife and a well-known local singer. She is loyal to Issac.
 * Donny Corvino (voice and motion-capture performed by Gary Nelson) is Issac's 29-year-old son, eventual successor, and the Underboss of the family. He is very short-tempered.
 * Dino Bianchi (voice and motion-capture performed by Rick Corso) is the Caporegime of the Corvino family.
 * Sergio Romano (voice and motion-capture performed by Joe Mantegna) is the 57-year-old Don of the Romano Crime Family.
 * Elsa Romano (voice and motion-capture performed by Connie Stevens) is Sergio's 52-year-old wife.
 * Mateo Romano (voice and motion-capture performed by Jon Favreau) is Sergio and Elsa's 24-year-old son and the family Underboss.
 * Margaret Wayne (voice and motion-capture performed by Betty White) is a 92-year-old former nun who, in 1955, founded the Mothers Against the Glorification of the Gross and Offensive Trading of Sins (M.A.G.G.O.T.S.), a group that supports the illegalization of the sale of rock albums, violent video games and movies to minors, whom M.A.G.G.O.T.S. sees as "impressionable". She is killed by Taliana during the mission "You Wouldn’t Steal A Car" after she discovers Margaret has been pirating movies and doctoring them to further her agenda (for example, editing footage of naked women into Meltdown when there wasn't any nudity to begin with, which causes Michael to give the order to kill her for disrespecting Solomon Richards' legacy).
 * Jasmond Raston (voice and motion-capture performed by Haley Lu Richardson) is a 20-year-old ditzy model.
 * Jeffrey Tambor (voice and motion-capture performed by himself) is a celebrity who's visiting Vice City. His agent hires Elise to be his bodyguard and take out anyone who wants to enact vigilante justice over the real-life sexual assualt allegations against Tambor.
 * Phil Collins (voice and motion-capture performed by himself) is another celebrity visiting Vice City. His agent hires Josh to be his bodyguard.
 * Candice Shand (voice and motion-capture performed by Jenna Jameson) is a 56-year-old former porn star and an entrepreneur. She owns the InterGlobal Films studio that Tommy lost in the 1990s.

Los Santos

 * Michael De Santa (voice and motion-capture performed by Ned Luke) is a 54-year-old Vinewood movie producer and former bank robber. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Jimmy De Santa (voice and motion-capture performed by Danny Tamberelli) is Michael's 26-year-old son who works at the Videogeddon arcade in Los Santos.
 * Tracey De Santa (voice and motion-capture performed by Michal Sinnott) is Michael's 28-year-old daughter who recently graduated college and is currently a nursing student.
 * Amanda De Santa (voice and motion-capture performed by Vicki Van Tassel) is Michael's 49-year-old wife who is now a high-ranking executive at Fruit Computers (mainly thanks to Lester getting dirt on higher-ranking executives to move her up the ladder).
 * Franklin Clinton (voice and motion-capture performed by Shawn "Solo" Fonteno) is the 31-year-old leader of the Grove Street Families, which retook Grove Street from the Ballas a month before the game's events. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Denise Clinton (voice and motion-capture performed by Janet Hubert) is Franklin's 63-year-old maternal aunt who is a feminist. She likes to do spirit walks with her friends. Trevor kills her and her friends during a spirit walk in the mission "We Are Women, and We Are Dead!" for disowning Franklin in 2013.
 * Lamar Davis (voice and motion-capture performed by Gerald "Slink" Johnson) is Franklin's 31-year-old best friend and second-in-command of the Grove Street Families.
 * Simeon Yetarian (voice and motion-capture performed by Demosthenes Chrysan) is a 52-year-old egotistical Armenian car salesman.
 * Wendy Oates (voice and motion-capture performed by Kate Locklain) is Franklin's 23-year-old girlfriend.
 * Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince (voice and motion-capture performed by David "D.B. Cooper" Kenner) is the 53-year-old owner of a Los Santos nightclub.
 * Carl "CJ" Johnson (voice and motion-capture performed by Chris Bellard a.k.a. Young Maylay) is a 51-year-old former Grove Street Families OG turned rapper who owns a stake in the Four Dragons Casino. CJ finds himself back in the 'hood when he hears C.R.A.S.H. has been reformed under Irving Tenpenny. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Denise Johnson (voice and motion-capture performed by Heather Alicia Simms) is CJ's 50-year-old wife. She owns a chain of beauty shops called Denise Does It.
 * Sean "Sweet" Johnson (voice and motion-capture performed by Faizon Love) is another former Grove Street Families OG. Now 54, he became an actor, and like his brother CJ, found himself back in the 'hood after the resurrection of C.R.A.S.H.
 * Kendl Johnson (voice and motion-capture performed by Yolanda "Yo-Yo" Whittaker) is CJ and Sweet's 49-year-old sister and Cesar’s wife. She is now a model, and, again, finds herself back in the 'hood after C.R.A.S.H.'s return.
 * Ken Rosenberg (voice and motion-capture performed by William Fichtner) is a 66-year-old former lawyer and Tommy Vercetti’s former associate.
 * Madd Dogg (voice and motion-capture performed by Ice-T) is a 55-year-old former rapper who now works as a talent agent.
 * Kent Paul (voice and motion-capture performed by Danny Dyer) is CJ's 64-year-old manager from England.
 * Maurice "Maccer" Mooneyham (voice and motion-capture performed by Shaun Ryder) is the 62-year-old lead singer of the Gurning Chimps. He is still a chronic masturbator.
 * Irving Tenpenny (voice and motion-capture performed by Donald Glover) is a 34-year-old corrupt police officer and the leader of the revived C.R.A.S.H. He is the son of the deceased Frank Tenpenny, and is even worse than his father ever was, to the point of killing innocent people on the streets for kicks and teaming up with the Ballas, Vagos, and Rifa to make and distribute SPANK all around the country. He is the secondary antagonist of the game, answering directly to President Donald Love.
 * Karen Daniels (voice and motion-capture performed by Rebecca Henderson) is a 48-year-old corrupt IAA interrogator. She is killed by Niko with a bullet to the head in the mission "So Long, Michelle" as revenge for using him, though Niko tried to hold back tears upon succeeding.
 * Patrick “Packie” McReary (voice and motion-capture performed by Ryan Johnston) is a 40-year-old bank robber formerly associated with Niko Bellic.
 * Lester Crest (voice and motion-capture performed by Jay Klaitz) is a 52-year-old, physically-disabled evil genius who helps put together heists and operations.
 * Fabien LaRouche (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael Giese) is a 45-year-old French yoga instructor. He is killed by Michael for attempting to hit on Amanda again in the mission "Nobody Said Yoga".
 * Brucie Kibbutz (voice and motion-capture performed by Timothy Adams) is a 51-year-old fitness enthusiast and lifestyle coach who vehemently denies being gay, despite evidence pointing to the contrary.
 * Emmet Long (voice and motion-capture performed by Eugene Jeter Jr.) is a 78-year-old, Families-associated gun dealer who moved to San Fierro in 2004 and opened a licensed gun shop there, though he's still associated with the gang.

Red County

 * Jeffrey "OG Loc" Cross (voice and motion-capture performed by Jonathan Anderson) is a 47-year-old disgraced former rapper who lives in Red County and still has delusions of being "gangsta". He is killed by Franklin in the mission "OG Joke" as revenge for abandoning the Grove Street Families in 1992.

Blaine County

 * Trevor Philips (voice and motion-capture performed by Steven Ogg) is a 54-year-old psychotic drug dealer who lives in Sandy Shores. Having been a lifestyle coach and guru in 2017, Trevor went back to his old self after Ron knocked him out and gave him smelling salts laced with SPANK. Trevor is also utterly terrified of Elise. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Ron Jakowski (voice and motion-capture performed by David Mogentale) is Trevor's 44-year-old right-hand man.
 * Wade Hebert (voiced and motion-capture performed by Matthew Maher) is a 39-year-old loyal follower of Trevor who has been stuck in a strip club for six years.

Las Venturas

 * Simon Sindacco (voice and motion-capture performed by James Marsden) is the 28-year-old Don of the Sindacco Crime Family. The Sindaccos moved out of Liberty City in 1999, settling permanently in Las Venturas.
 * Cyndi Lewis (voice and motion-capture performed by Natalie Portman) is Karissa's 31-year-old best friend. She is a street punk and leader of the Venturas Gusanos.

San Fierro

 * Cesar Vialpando (voice and motion-capture performed by Clifton Collins Jr.) is the 49-year-old leader of the Varrios Los Aztecas.
 * Mitch "The Truth" Wells (voice and motion-capture performed by Peter Fonda) is an 85-year-old stoner hippie conspiracy theorist who has credible proof that the government is hiding aliens from the public. This was Fonda's final role before his death in August 2019, and the game was dedicated to his memory.
 * David "Zero" Kent (voiced and motion-capture performed by David Cross) is the 55-year-old owner of Zero RC, a hobby shop that is also a front for Carl Johnson's criminal enterprises. He is notably less annoying than he was in 1992, and even looks back at his annoyance with regret.
 * Ran Fa Li (voice and motion-capture performed by Hunter Platin) is the 79-year-old leader of the Red Gecko Tong and the Shuk Foo of the San Fierro Triads. He only speaks in grunts, like in his previous appearance.
 * Wu Zi Mu (voice and motion-capture performed by James Yaegashi) is the 60-year-old blind leader of the Mountain Cloud Boys and the Dai Dai Lo of the San Fierro Triads. He is part-owner of the Four Dragons Casino.

Broker, Dukes, Algonquin, and Bohan

 * Niko Bellic (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael Hollick) is the 41-year-old head of a major crime ring smuggling weapons to anti-Russian rebels in Ukraine. Having wanted to get out of crime, Niko is forced to get back in to help the rebels, and really, really hates bowling due to Roman constantly calling him to bowl at inappropriate times. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Roman Bellic (voice and motion-capture performed by Jason Zumwalt) is the 42-year-old owner of a cab depot in Alderney and a professional bowler.
 * Mallorie Bellic (voice and motion-capture performed by Elena Hurst) is Roman’s 40-year-old wife. She runs the cab depot when Roman is out bowling.
 * Kate Bellic (voice and motion-capture performed by Skylar Dunn) is Roman and Mallorie’s 10-year-old daughter.
 * Milica Bellic (voice and motion-capture performed by Diane Keaton) is Niko's 65-year-old mother and Kate's grandmother. She is depicted as caring.
 * "Little" Jacob Hughes (voice and motion-capture performed by Coolie Ranx) is Niko's 37-year-old best friend and second-in-command.
 * Luis Fernando Lopez (voice and motion-capture performed by Mario D'Leon) is the 36-year-old owner of Gay Tony's old nightclub. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Huang Lee (voice and motion-capture performed by Steven Yeun) is the 38-year-old charismatic leader of the Liberty City Triads. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Kenny Petrovic (voice and motion-capture performed by Richard Pruitt) is the 63-year-old leader of the Petrovic Crime Family.
 * Lola Del Rio (voice and motion-capture performed by Laura Bailey) is a 38-year-old, lollipop-holding prostitute. She was heavily advertised in Grand Theft Auto IV, but never appeared in that game.
 * Christian "El Burro" Estevez (voice and motion-capture performed by Jeff Garcia) is a 32-year-old Bohan drug dealer. He doesn't like being confused with El Burro, leader of the Diablos.
 * Elisabeth "Ellie" Dyer (voice and motion-capture performed by Belle Armstrong) is a 24-year-old gaming enthusiast. She becomes Josh's girlfriend at the end of the story.

Portland, Staunton Island, Shoreside Vale, and Chrisensen

 * Claude Speed (motion-capture performed by Scott Maslen) is a 48-year-old mute drifter who happened to come back to Liberty City years after Catalina's betrayal. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Florence St. John (voice and motion-capture performed by Gia Carides) is Claude's 20-year-old girlfriend. She is less annoying than Maria ever was.
 * Michael "Mike" Del Monte (voice and motion-capture performed by Jack Quaid) is a 45-year-old former Leone member who became bitter and hardened in the years since his longtime mentor Vinnie betrayed him, forcing him to come back to Liberty City to take his frustrations out on the city. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Walker Carrington (voice and motion-capture performed by Johnny Hardwick) is the 44-year-old son of deceased real estate mogul Avery Carrington. Like his father, he’ll do anything to get prime real estate, including starting gang wars.
 * Antonio "Toni" Cipriani (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael Madsen) is the 51-year-old, short-tempered Don of the Leone Crime Family. He became the Don of the Leone family after Salvatore's death, as his will stated that Toni be the Don; Toni decided to keep the Leone name in his honor. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Joey Leone (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael Rappaport) is the 55-year-old son of Salvatore Leone, and the Underboss of the Leone Crime Family after his father's death. He is also more paranoid and sadistic than his father ever was, to the point of wearing a helmet and body armor every time he goes outside.
 * Misty Wallis (voice and motion-capture performed by Kim Gurney) is Joey's 37-year-old wife and a former prostitute. In the years since Claude betrayed the Leones, Misty has become significantly more menacing (especially after getting married to Joey) and is shown to fire guns very well.
 * Donald Love, Jr. (voice and motion-capture performed by Will Janowitz) is Donald Love's 43-year-old son and the owner of Love Media.
 * Frankie Leone (voice and motion-capture performed by Finn Wolfhard) is Joey and Misty's 14-year-old son. He is set to be Don of the Leone family once Joey dies.
 * Luigi Goterelli (voice and motion-capture performed by Joe Pantoliano) is the 67-year-old owner of Luigi's Sex Club 7, which is supposedly a nightclub but is in actuality a brothel in disguise.
 * Mickey Hamfists (voice and motion-capture performed by Chris Tardio) is Luigi's 58-year-old bodyguard.
 * Felix "El Burro" Ramirez (voice and motion-capture performed by Chris Phillips) is the 70-year-old Puerto Rican leader of the Diablos and a former porn star with a donkey fetish. He is also a writer of adult literature, including Donkey Does Dallas and Muff and the Mule. In 1997, he posed as a Mexican-American homosexual and faked his death in Vice City.
 * Ilana "Ma" Cipriani (voice performed by Sondra James) is Toni's 80-year-old eternally unpleasable and overbearing mother who runs Momma's Ristorante.
 * Phil Cassidy (voice and motion-capture performed by Gary Busey) is the 66-year-old, one-armed owner of Phil’s Army Surplus.
 * Hermes "King Courtney" Wilson (voice and motion-capture performed by Walter Mudu) is the 50-year-old leader of the Uptown Yardies. He is killed by Claude as revenge for using him in the mission "Long Live the King".
 * Kyle "D-Ice" Veit (voice and motion-capture performed by Walter Mudu) is the 46-year-old leader of the Red Jacks.
 * Yuka Kasen (voice and motion-capture performed by Michelle Yeoh) is the 34-year-old leader of the Yakuza. Her aunt Asuka was leader of the Yakuza until her untimely death in 2001, and she became its head in 2003 on her 18th birthday (in the meantime, her sister Kagami was the leader).
 * Kagami Kasen (voice ad motion-capture performed by Kari Wahlgren) is Yuka's 39-year-old sister and the current Yakuza wakagashira. Wahlgren was cast as an in-joke to her Lucky Star character, Kagami Hiiragi.
 * Kemuri Kasen (voice and motion-capture performed by Rio Sasaki) is Yuka's 14-year-old daughter.
 * Kaede Kasen (voice and motion-capture performed by Fuku Suzuki) is Kemuri's 22-year-old cousin.
 * Izumi Nakamura (voice and motion-capture performed by Wendee Lee) is Kagami's 38-year-old best friend. She is another in-joke to Lucky Star, as Lee is the voice of Konata Izumi, Kagami Hiiragi's best friend and later love interest.
 * Daisuki Nakamura (voice and motion-capture performed by Sean Muramatsu) is Izumi's 41-year-old husband.
 * Akari Nakamura (voice and motion-capture performed by Devon Aoki) is Daisuki and Izumi's 16-year-old daughter.
 * Roger "Kid" Forelli (voice and motion-capture performed by Robert De Niro) is the 40-year-old Don of the Forelli Brothers, holding that role since 2001, when Mike "Lips" Forelli was killed after his car exploded in Marco's Bistro. Forelli and his entire remaining gang are killed by Toni Cipriani in the explosion of their car dealership in the Carraways during the mission "Farewell Forelli", ending the Forelli Brothers once and for all.
 * Mullan "8-Ball" Levinsen II (voice and motion-capture performed by Dule Hill) is 8-Ball's 28-year-old son. Like his deceased father, he is able to rig cars with bombs.
 * Darkel Harman (voice performed by Bill Fiore, motion-capture performed by Gary Nelson) is a 61-year-old revolutionary street urchin who leads a group of similarly violent bums, and plans to bring down Liberty City's economy via acts of terrorism. He was a cut character from Grand Theft Auto III (all his missions were planned for that game), and the game was dedicated to his voice actor Bill Fiore's memory, as he died in 2014.
 * Curtis "Curtly" MacDonald (voice performed by Curtis L. McClarin, motion-capture performed by Dule Hill) is the 31-year-old owner of the Supa Save! location in Portland. Like Darkel, Curtly was another cut character from Grand Theft Auto III. In addition, the game was dedicated to Curtis L. McClarin's memory, as he died in 2014.
 * Tom Novy (voice and motion-capture performed by Tom Novy) is a 50-year-old German DJ who assigns Chris to take out hyperactive fans. Like Darkel and Curtly, Novy was another cut character from Grand Theft Auto III.
 * Carlos "Carl" Trejo (voice and motion-capture performed by Renaud Sebbane) is the 43-year-old owner of the Bitch'n' Dog Food factory, and is an avid fan of the Liberty City Cocks. He also serves as a loan shark; players can borrow money from him, on the condition that they pay him back on time.
 * Robert "Bubba" Quincy (voice and motion-capture performed by Travis Willingham) is a 45-year-old criminal-for-hire.
 * Divine West (voice and motion-capture performed by Lupita Nyong'o)
 * Katie Andrews (voice and motion-capture performed by Mila Kunis)
 * Oskar Kivlov (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael J. Nelson)
 * Mikki Lee (voice and motion-capture performed by Kristen Wiig)
 * Travis Reeves (voice and motion-capture performed by Phil LaMarr)
 * Troy Robinson (voice and motion-capture performed by Greg Johnson)
 * Ulrika Kivlov (voice and motion-capture performed by Lisa Ortiz)

Carcer City

 * James Earl Cash (voice and motion-capture performed by Stephen Wilfong) is

Capitol City

 * Donald Love (voice and motion-capture performed by Alec Baldwin) is the 56-year-old cannibalistic and corrupt President of the United States, who was a Liberty City media mogul and mayoral candidate years before, and is the overall main antagonist of the game. He hires Chris to do work for him, such as killing his political opponents (both liberal and conservative) to ensure he wins his re-election campaign, blowing up a Mexican-American town in Matar, etc., threatening to frame him as a child rapist if he doesn't. In the epilogue, Love reveals that he was planning to turn the US into a fascist dictatorship known as the "First American Empire", with the ultimate goal to take over the world, kill everyone who isn't a straight white Christian and sell their remains as food, send women back to the kitchen, and enslave the working class while he, his administration, and other wealthy figures (referred to as "fat cats" by Josh and Elise) prepare to take to the stars and do the same to alien races, treating non-rich citizens as objects rather than people, and also reveals that he orchestrated C.R.A.S.H.'s resurrection, hoping to use it to serve his purpose, and ordered Walt's wife killed under the pretense that she was killed by a gang member; Jillian leaves him upon this revelation, taking their six-year-old son Crispin with her. He and his entire remaining administration are killed by Josh and Elise in a violent shootout. Moreso than in previous games, Love is a very unflattering caricature of Donald Trump in terms of personality (though he still retained his III-era appearance, albeit much older), right down to being portrayed by Alec Baldwin (who plays Trump on Saturday Night Live, though Baldwin uses his normal voice) which sparked massive backlash from conservatives.
 * Jillian Love (voice and motion-capture performed by Maisie Williams) is the 31-year-old First Lady. It's implied throughout the storyline that her husband abuses her and forces her to go along with his agenda under threat of rape. She is based on Melania Trump.
 * Crispin Love (voice and motion-capture performed by Julian Edwards) is Donald and Jillian's eleven-year-old son who has a tendency to wear suits every day, and is very soft-spoken (to the point of having only one line, being "Come on, let's go. Leave this bad guy to his schemes" after Jillian leaves Donald). He is based on Barron Trump.
 * Charles "Chuck" Dollar (voice and motion-capture performed by Michael Douglas) is the 59-year-old Vice President, and is also a conservative. He is utterly disgusted with Love, but stays with him because he has Stockholm syndrome. He ends up betraying Love in the epilogue by taking the last shot, and becomes the new president after Love is killed, promising to actually make America great for everyone, and not just rich whites. He is based on Mike Pence.
 * Mike Toreno (voice and motion-capture performed by James Woods) is a 72-year-old government agent turned head of the IAA. He disapproves of some of the IAA's more heavy-handed tactics, and becomes one of the Walton twins' most valuable allies in waging a shadow war against Love.

Alderney

 * Jonathan "Johnny" Klebitz (voice and motion-capture performed by Scott Hill) is the 45-year-old founder of the New Lost MC and President of its Alderney chapter. He survived Trevor stomping his head in because it never happened in the first place; Trevor was actually stomping the ground, having a psychotic episode after learning Michael was alive, but Ron and Wade didn't want to say anything for their own safety. Johnny seeks to find and kill Trevor for destroying the old Lost. He is playable in a few missions.
 * Jonathan "Johnny" Vincent (voice and motion-capture performed by Rocco Rosanio) is the Vice President of the New Lost MC.

Bullworth

 * James "Jimmy" Hopkins (voice and motion-capture performed by Gerry Rosenthal) is the 28-year-old mayor of Bullworth. In 2006, he uncovered the many problems of Bullworth Academy, and successfully changed the school for the better. He is playable in the mission "Lockdown", being the only playable character who can't use weapons because he chooses not to.
 * Clinton Albert (a.k.a. Henry) (voice and motion-capture performed by Justin Mortelliti) is the Deputy Mayor of Bullworth.
 * Peter "Pete" Kowalski (voice and motion-capture performed by Matt Bush) is the 27-year-old Headmaster of Bullworth Academy. He became the head after Dr. Crabblesnitch retired in 2017, having been the head boy since 2006.
 * Gary Smith (voice and motion-capture performed by Peter Vack) is a 29-year-old SPANKed-up street criminal who assigns Elise to do some work for him. He is killed in the mission "Lockdown" when he instigates a mass shooting at Bullworth Academy, and is thrown off of the school building by Jimmy again, this time fatally.
 * Zoe Taylor-Hopkins (voice and motion-capture performed by Molly Fox) is Jimmy's wife.
 * Pedro De La Hoya (voice and motion-capture performed by Daniel Tay) is a
 * Karen Johnson (voice and motion-capture performed by Cai Oglesby) is Pedro's wife.
 * Seth Kolbe (voice and motion-capture performed by Tom Vergow) is a former prefect. He is the coach of the Bullworth Bulls.
 * Ralph Crabblesnitch (voice and motion-capture performed by Ralph Gunderman) is the former Headmaster of Bullworth Academy.
 * Earnest Jones (voice and motion-capture performed by Jesse Tendler) is a teacher at Bullworth Academy.
 * Ellie Peabody (voice and motion-capture performed by Flo Salant) is the hall monitor at the Girls' Dorm.
 * Algernon "Algie" Papadopoulos (voice and motion-capture performed by Brett Tabisel) is a teacher at Bullworth Academy.
 * Beatrice Trudeau (voice and motion-capture performed by Caitlin Greer) is the nurse of Bullworth Academy.
 * Derby Harrington (voice and motion-capture performed by John LaVelle) is the rich and snooty owner of the Harrington Oil Corporation. He is a noted supporter of Donald Love.
 * Tad Spencer (voice and motion-capture performed by Baron Vaughn) is the CEO of Spencer Shipping.
 * Ted Thompson (voice and motion-capture performed by Alex Cendese) is a professional football player. He plays for the Bullworth Commandos.
 * Russell Northrop (voice and motion-capture performed by Cody Melton) is Jimmy's personal bodyguard.
 * Daisy Adams (voice and motion-capture performed by Kiernan Shipka) is a 15-year-old student at Bullworth.

Houser

 * Edward Olsen (voice and motion-capture performed by Burt Reynolds and Norm MacDonald) is a 51-year-old propane salesman affiliated with the Fallons. He was originally played by the late Burt Reynolds (who had voiced Avery Carrington), but after Reynolds' death, MacDonald replaced him based on his impersonation of Reynolds on Saturday Night Live for the remaining scenes.
 * Karl Fallon (voice and motion-capture performed by Norman Lloyd) is the 100-year-old Don of the Fallon Crime Family.
 * Renee Jacobs (voice and motion-capture performed by Dakota Fanning) is the 30-year-old crackpot founder and leader of the equally-crackpot PAAC (People Against Animal Cruelty).

Leston (a.k.a. Anywhere City)

 * Cinco Carbine (voice and motion-capture performed by Joseph D. Kucan) is the leader of the Zaibatsu Corporation. He is the son of Uno Carbine, who was killed in 1999. He is killed by Claude during the mission "Carb's Last Call".
 * Bob Welsh (voice and motion-capture performed by Randall Park) is the co-leader of the Zaibatsu Corporation, and the brother of Trey Welsh, who was killed in 1999. He and several Zaibatsu guards are killed by Claude during the mission "Instant Justice - Just Add Blood".
 * Calligari Hisashi (voice and motion-capture performed by Alex Landi)
 * Candace “Candy” Robertson (voice and motion-capture performed by Keke Palmer)
 * Edward “Eddie” Skinner (voice and motion-capture performed by Dwayne Johnson)
 * Gretchen Austin (voice and motion-capture performed by Debi Mazar)
 * Paulo López (voice and motion-capture performed by Gael García Bernal)
 * Ruben Conner (voice and motion-capture performed by Anthony Anderson)

Songs

 * "Grand Theft Auto (a.k.a. Joyride)" by Craig Conner a.k.a. Da Shootaz (1997; Flash FM)
 * "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson (1983; Vice City FM)

Jack & Cynthia

 * Jack Rogers (voice performed by Roger Craig Smith)
 * Cynthia Hill (voice performed by Grey Griffin)

Tap-Dancing Alex (based on a concept by MichaelDragon)

 * Alex (voice performed by Kristen Schaal)

Tapeworm

 * Tapeworm (voice performed by Mark Hamill)

Horny the Unicorn

 * Horny (voice performed by Nika Futterman) is the titular character. She is depicted as a cocky yet likable jerk who

Impotent Rage

 * Impotent Rage/Braxton Hunter (voice performed by Joseph May) is the titular superhero. As billionaire Braxton Hunter, he is the head of the environmentally-conscious Braxton Industries. Impotent Rage is described as being a judgmental hypocrite and smug, while his civilian cover is described as being a rich, entitled playboy with too much time on his hands. While his appearance is based on the stereotypical superhero (Superman-equse costume, large chin, pompadour hair, etc.), his powers are more similar to Marvel Comic's Hulk, where he has superhuman strength when enraged, as demonstrated by demolishing a factory with his rage and his origin story is a parody of either Batman or Iron Man. Impotent Rage drives a compact electric hovercar called the Impotentmobile, which has a solar panel mode for high speed.
 * Uberman (voice performed by Maurice LaMarche) is Impotent Rage's right-wing arch-nemesis. Uberman is the exact opposite of Impotent Rage, eating meat from endangered animals and supporting environmentally-unfriendly practices. His supersuit is a parody of Iron Man.
 * Violet (performed by Jules De Jongh) is Braxton Hunter's personal assistant. She has a crush on Braxton Hunter; however, he is completely oblivious to her advances.

Jack Howitzer

 * Jack Howitzer (voice and motion-capture performed by Randy Pearlstein) is a fallen celebrity. He is forced to move to Liberty City to escape from the sexual assault allegations against him.

Twenty Questions to a Million

 * Rex Shafer (voice and motion-capture performed by Darrell Hammond) is the show's host. He is a parody of Regis Philbin.

Win Some, Lose Some (Vice City only)

 * Emma Klont (voice and motion-capture performed by Katey Sagal) is the 25-year-old co-host of the show.

The JBN Club

 * Mortimer McHale (voice and motion-capture performed by Patton Oswalt) is the show's host. Based on televangelists like Pat Robertson, Jim Bakker, Peter Popoff, and Oral Roberts, McHale is a fundamentalist Christian who is prejudiced against gays, Asians, non-Christian religions, and rock, and constantly tells people to donate money to him to get on God's good side. McHale is killed by Karissa during the mission "Hallelujah! Another Soul Saved!" after she discovered that McHale had ordered the explosions of ten mosques and a Christian rock concert and paid the authorities to absolve him of all responsibility.

The Presidential House
Based on the White House, the Presidential House is Love's residence. The Oval Office is decorated in red, white and black, a clue that Love is a neo-Nazi.

The Capitol
The Capitol, based on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., looks similar to its real-life counterpart, except it has a second dome, in keeping with sexual themes in the game.

Hipcrates Monument
Based on the Washington Monument, the Hipcrates Monument includes two geodesic domes sandwiching the monument, both serving as museums.

The Gallus Memorial
Based on the Lincoln Memorial, the statue itself bears the likeness of infamous lawyer Jack Thompson (similar to how the Statue of Happiness bears the likeness of Hillary Clinton), and a plaque that tells the story of the statue's subject Jim Gallus.

Advertising
The game was heavily advertised, in an advertising campaign that tied it in with Grand Theft Auto 2, including the tagline "This Time, Respect is Not Just Everything", along with advertisements on the side of buildings, subways, buses, etc.

"Well, It's Been a Blast" mission
In this mission, Karissa is ordered to fly a UAV into a Papi-owned skyscraper in Vice City by Joey Leone, instantly destroying it. This mission bears similarities to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and has seen criticism for

"Lockdown" mission
The mission "Lockdown" was infamous for its depiction of a school shooting.

PETA controversy
The PAAC, designed to be a caricature of PETA, has garnered criticism from the organization, which claims that the game was intentionally designed to slander them. One mission, "Saucy Sabotage", involves Walt being assigned by PAAC to steal a wrecking ball and use it to destroy seven Cluckin' Bell locations and five Burger Shot locations, as well as an Up-n-Atom Burger location in Carcer City, all done without the owners' permission.

M.A.G.G.O.T.S. controversy
The M.A.G.G.O.T.S., designed to be a caricature of people who criticize the series for its violence,

Trailers
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San Andreas
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Vice City
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Liberty City
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Music

 * Theme song