A YouTuber known as CityEd has created a unique map of London, imagining what it might look like if it were part of the Grand Theft Auto universe. This creative endeavour reimagines the capital’s geography with a distinct GTA flair, offering fans a glimpse of London’s potential transformation in a Rockstar-style video game.
London Reimagined in GTA-Style
CityEd has designed a map that embodies Rockstar Games’ characteristic approach to mapping, complete with exaggerated landmarks and fictional place names inspired by historical and cultural nuances. For instance, in this recreated map, familiar London locales have been renamed: Kings Cross becomes ‘Dukes Cross,’ Angel is reborn as ‘Saint,’ and the entire city is termed ‘Trafalgar.’
Creating a Fictional London Map
On their Patreon, CityEd describes their project as a fusion of GTA cartography and London’s real-world parallels, stating, “I’ve created a GTA-ised map of London imagining how the map would look, and re-invented place names in a classic GTA style.” A PDF of the map is available for those interested in CityEd’s exploration of London’s transformation.
This map-making venture taps into Rockstar’s gaming tradition of crafting fictional place names that carry satirical and exaggerated meanings. CityEd explains, “While the cities and places they base their maps on exist in real life, they have this fun convention for creating fictional place names where they find something historically or culturally associated with the place, exaggerate it, and use that instead.” This project highlights how Rockstar’s speculative geography could apply to London’s iconic sites.
From Real History to Fictional Geography
Taking inspiration from real historical contexts, CityEd’s project delves into the art of map-making as shown in a 30-minute video detailing the creative process. This contrasts with Rockstar’s previous attempt to recreate London in the 1999 GTA: London mission pack, which did not apply new whimsical names, ensuring that CityEd’s version offers a fresh take.
Anticipating GTA 6
As CityEd’s imaginative map delights fans, anticipation builds for the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6. The game promises a map expansive enough to accommodate at least two iterations of GTA 5, and speculation continues on whether certain iconic Florida locations will feature.
Reporting based on coverage first published by eurogamer.net.