Throughout its existence, the Grand Theft Auto series has never been afraid to skewer some of the biggest brands in the world, with the regular appearances of the franchise’s Apple-inspired Fruit Computers serving as one notable example. With details still scarce about Rockstar’s rumored return to Vice City in Grand Theft Auto 6, one bold choice for the developer would be to set its sights on one of the biggest brands of all and include a parody of Walt Disney World in the game. Rockstar’s twisted take on the House of Mouse wouldn’t just be fertile ground for parody, but it could also play home to some truly unique missions.
While including a parody of Disney’s Magic Kingdom would be new ground for the Grand Theft Auto series, Rockstar wouldn’t be the first developer to train its satirical eye on the Happiest Place on Earth. Fans of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic Fallout series have already had a chance to explore that series’ take on the iconic parks in the Disney World-inspired Nuka-World DLC for Fallout 4. With Rockstar’s long-running series already rife with often-biting critiques of consumerism, a GTA parody of parks explicitly designed to make guests quickly part ways with their cash seems like a perfect fit.
Disney Is a Perfect Target for Grand Theft Auto’s Brand of Social Satire
A beacon for legions of devoted fans and a bane for those who can’t stand it, including a parody of Walt Disney World would be a great way to take Grand Theft Auto’s social satire to new heights. The contrast between the outwardly family-friendly appearance of Walt Disney World and its ever-present shops hawking pricey souvenirs to tourists would be a great target for parody, letting Rockstar design a virtual amusement park where moving merchandise, possibly of an illicit nature, takes priority over rides.
It’s not only this focus on conspicuous consumption that could be skewered with the inclusion of a Magic Kingdom-inspired location in Grand Theft Auto 6, either. With GTA 5’s Pleasure Pier already allowing players to hop on theme park rides, expanding on this for a Disney-style park in GTA 6 would be a logical next step. Letting players ride through a needlessly violent reimagining of The Haunted Mansion, or a version of It’s A Small World with music even more grating than the real thing, would fit right in with the franchise’s brand of humor.
A Theme Park in GTA 6 Could Play Home to Some Thrilling Missions
Introducing a sprawling theme park to the world of Grand Theft Auto 6 would help keep things fresh as the series looks to revisit the Miami-inspired setting of 2002’s GTA: Vice City. Given the size of the Walt Disney World resort, even recreating only a small section of the park would represent a sizable addition to the game. Not only would a theme park in the game give players new areas to explore, it would also allow for missions taking advantage of the unique setting.
A Disney World parody in GTA 6 could use the location to introduce outlandish new missions for players. A money laundering scheme using the park’s version of Disney Dollars, similar to the premise of Beverly Hills Cop 3, would be perfect for the series’ criminal hijinks. And missions set in an EPCOT-style, future-themed location in the park could be a great excuse to bring jetpacks back to Grand Theft Auto.
With the size of Grand Theft Auto 6’s map reportedly dwarfing those of previous franchise entries, it only makes sense to set some of that space aside for a darkly comedic spin on the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s a move that would be in line with the series’ history of pointed, poignant parody, and it could show gamers a whole new side of the world of Grand Theft Auto.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development.