Rockstar was teasing GTA 6 inside Red Dead Redemption 2 all along, and fans just now figured it out

Rockstar Games was hiding a major secret about Grand Theft Auto 6 in Red Dead Redemption 2 for eight years. A community member recently found an unused file in the 2018 game that confirms the name of GTA 6‘s location: the state of Leonida. This discovery shows Rockstar’s careful long-term planning.

GTA 6 will take place in Leonida, which is Rockstar’s version of Florida. The game features Vice City as their version of Miami. Fans have been excited about this location since the first trailer, but the name was decided years before the game was announced. This confirms that Rockstar’s older games contain hints about future projects.

According to Dexerto, the discovery came from hidden boat textures in Red Dead Redemption 2‘s game files. While textures like “The Emily Bell” and “Moses T Prescott” were found, the most important one is named “The Leonida.” These textures were never used in the game, so players couldn’t connect the boat name to a future project until GTA 6‘s map was confirmed.

Rockstar likely planned this Easter egg during Red Dead Redemption 2’s development

A leaker who found the file suggested two possibilities. They said, “It appears as if Rockstar might’ve initially intended to tease GTA 6 in RDR2? Either that, or this was where they got the inspiration for the name from. I think either scenario is just as likely.” Rockstar was working on Grand Theft Auto concepts in 2018, so including a hidden reference makes sense.

GTA 6 will launch on November 19, 2026. Rockstar has said the state of Leonida will be massive and detailed, with busy cities and swampy areas. Having the state name ready years ago makes sense for development, since they needed that basic setting prepared. However, Russia recently threatened to ban the game over a controversial addition.

This isn’t the only secret fans are finding in Red Dead Redemption 2. The community recently discovered the Spider Dream Mystery, a secret quest that had gone unnoticed for 8 years. The quest connects to a mysterious glowing pentagram. An ex-Rockstar developer said they never expected this mystery to be found.

Red Dead Redemption 2 continues to hide secrets and complex content years after release. This suggests GTA 6 will contain many Easter eggs when it launches in 2026. An ex-GTA developer also revealed Rockstar’s pricing strategy for the upcoming game. Players will likely find secrets in Leonida for years to come.