Like a high-fidelity sunrise beaming through the heavens, we’ve finally been blessed with our first glimpse of Grand Theft Auto 6. And as to be expected, the 90-second trailer isn’t just a bog-standard clip of random snippets of gameplay. Instead, the meticulously assembled footage cleverly pays homage to a bunch of strange real-life memes, in harmony with an 80s’ Tom Petty banger.
Sure, you may miss some of the references on your first watch — they are somewhat hidden in plain sight, of course — but it’s safe to say that these knowing easter eggs help to elucidate the US-based studio’s MO: to continue keeping the best-selling IP as culturally relevant as ever. Well, this is GTA, after all.
What Exactly Are the Real-Life Memes That Are Referenced in GTA 6’s Trailer?
From what we can gather, there are at least five real-life memes that Rockstar Games pay tribute to in the much-anticipated sequel’s debut trailer, though there’s a likelihood that there are even more hidden within. Most take place through the lens of the game’s myriad faux social media accounts, aping legit platforms like Facebook, X/ Twitter, Twitch, and Instagram.
Up first, we have the Florida hammer lady who is angrily brandishing a mallet in each hand while she’s being filmed. Allegedly, the woman who may or may not be named Karen, smashed up a neighbour’s car while shouting, “Go back to Mexico!” Not exactly a model citizen, huh?
Meanwhile, another meme that was referenced saw a man fishing an alligator out of his swimming pool, which is actually quite a common occurrence in Florida. Of course, for the unaware, the Sunshine State is where the game’s fictional locale of Leonida is inspired.
Next up, we have the bizarre footage of a lady as she twerks on top of a car roof while it drives off. This likely pays tribute to the real-life clip from the MacArthur Causeway in Miami where a woman did that exact same thing on a speeding highway.
Then, we have the naked chap ambling around aimlessly near a gas station and a highway yelling at cars and passersby, which actually did happen IRL. Incidentally, the perp was found later wielding a machete and trying to steal someone’s clothes. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Lastly, the GTA 6 teaser also seemingly parodied the famous Florida Man meme that satirised weird real-life newspaper headlines, such as “Florida Man Run Over by Van After Dog Pushes Accelerator” amongst many other bonkers controversial subjects. In fact, the image above directly references the real-world Florida Joker, whose recognizable mugshot went viral back in 2017 thanks to the many tattoos on his face and body.
Really, Rockstar is renowned for its scathing political and social commentary, and it’s clearly making a huge effort to anchor the upcoming experience in a living, breathing world that feels like a direct reflection of our own crazy, modern lives. Sure, it may be 10 years since the launch of the mega publisher’s wildly successful predecessor back on PS3 and Xbox 360, but it’s fair to say that now feels as perfect time as any for our society to take a long, hard look deep within.
GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025.
