In GTA 5, Bolingbroke Penitentiary was primarily a location used during the Prison Break Heist, and it only played a small role in missions. The area wasn't particularly interactive for casual players, but it became significant in certain missions. However, it served as a good sign that having a prison play a more prominent part in the online experience with the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 could benefit the community.
GTA 6 has been a long time coming now, and it could make its prison location significantly better. GTA 5's prison was relatively static — it was a part of the world but didn’t involve dynamic or engaging mechanics outside scripted missions. In GTA 6, a prison system could be a persistent feature that evolves based on player actions.
Grand Theft Auto Fans Are Already Loving One GTA 6 Improvement
Grand Theft Auto fans are already praising one big improvement in GTA 6, which has been clear since the game's first trailer.
Why GTA 6 Online Needs Its Own Secret Prison
A prison system in GTA 6 Online could serve multiple purposes. Firstly, instead of a simple "wasted" or bounty system like in GTA 5, GTA 6 could send players to prison after major infractions, and introduce new gameplay elements. For example, players could be forced to serve time but could shorten their sentences by completing in-prison tasks, bribing guards, or even staging breakouts. These tasks could then unlock special content or give in-game rewards, and encourage players to explore this new environment.
The other way this prison could be incorporated is by using it as a “secret” area that can be accessed with jumps or tricks to unite the community, much like how access to the military base in GTA 5 became the worst-kept secret of online players. It could become a community hub, where players work together to stage complex escape missions to free their friends from jail. Much like the thrills of exploring hidden Easter eggs in GTA 5, the prison could be a deep location that rewards curious players.
The Secret Prison Can Make the Game Exciting in Multiple Ways
A prison comes with many fun dynamics for gameplay, including jailbreaks, organized prison activities, or even a persistent prison economy where players perform tasks for rewards. Here are some other ways a prison could enhance gameplay in GTA 6:
- Heists are the lifeblood of GTA Online. A tiered prison system could add new layers to heists. This could be made possible by creating a scenario where a high-profile prisoner needs to be broken out, or a player can intentionally get arrested to set up an inside job.
- Similar to other multiplayer games like Star Citizen, GTA 6 could incorporate a bounty system where players could reduce their sentences by performing tasks or bartering with other players.
- Like Mount Chiliad in GTA 5, it could become a place where players gather not just for missions, but to show off their skills, uncover hidden loot, or participate in large-scale community events.
How It Could Improve Over GTA 5’s Prison
In Grand Theft Auto 6, a prison system could be a persistent feature that evolves based on players’ approaches and actions. For instance, frequent arrests might lead to overcrowding and open up more areas for players to explore and control. The prison could have factions, gangs, or rival groups of players, creating a microcosm of the broader crime world inside the prison walls. This is only possible if this prison is accessible outside of missions and is treated like a key part of the game's world.
By making the prison an interactive and evolving feature, Rockstar Games could create a “second world” inside the game, and give players a reason to return to the prison even when they aren’t being punished. While there’s no confirmation about a prison being included in Leonida, the ideal way to incorporate one would be to expand on the prison concept from GTA 5 and create a more dynamic and interconnected area that thrives on player interaction.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- November 19, 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.
Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
- Engine
- Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE)
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
