Grand Theft Auto 6: Car-top twerking, flamingos in a crazy Miami

South Florida, a region where the allure of the sea, sand, and glamour is ever-present. It's the playground of Lionel Messi, the world-renowned footballer who scores match-winning goals in flamingo pink, and Jeff Bezos, the multibillionaire contemplating the commercialisation of space travel. Their relocation to Miami this year added an extra layer of glitz to an already sparkling city. However, beneath the surface, Miami harbours a darker, criminal underbelly. This week, the intersection of these contrasting worlds was vividly portrayed in the trailer release of Grand Theft Auto 6.

The unveiling of the trailer broke a decade-long silence from Rockstar, the game's creators, and shattered YouTube records, amassing 93 million views within 24 hours. Basketball superstar LeBron James described the video as 'INSANE' in a tweet, and it rapidly became the most viewed video on the platform, excluding music videos, in less than a day. The 90-second teaser confirmed that the game's setting would be Vice City, a hyper-fictionalised version of Miami, sparking online debates about the fairness of this depiction.

The trailer showcased many of Miami's cultural landmarks - beach joggers, boat partiers, luxury cars, rooftop pools, and neon-lit streets. It even featured flamingos, a sight that can genuinely be witnessed at the Hialeah Park Racing and Casino. However, the trailer also revealed a different side of the city. A crocodile was seen creeping through a convenience store, dancers gyrated over dollar bills, and shotgun-wielding police officers were shown kicking down a door. The sight of a woman twerking atop a speeding car seemed absurd, yet it blended seamlessly with what appeared to be exact replicas of Miami's basketball arena, the Kaseya Center, and murals in the Wynwood neighbourhood.