Hamlet

Overview

Hamlet is a city located in Vice-Dale County, in the state of Leonida. Unlike the dense urban neighborhoods of Vice City, Hamlet is a smaller, more suburban incorporated city situated near the southeastern tip of mainland Leonida. It serves as a gateway to the Leonida Keys, with the Keys Causeway originating south of the city.

Hamlet first appeared in the September 2022 GTA VI leaks, where its name was listed in a debug menu documenting world events. It was later officially confirmed in the first trailer (December 4, 2023) and again referenced in the second trailer (May 6, 2025) through road signage. The city is notable as the location of the Leonida Penitentiary, the state prison where Lucia Caminos was incarcerated.

Geography

Hamlet occupies a position at the southern end of the Leonida mainland, south of Vice City proper. Leonida State Route 61 runs through the Hamlet vicinity, serving as a primary north-south route through the area. The Keys Causeway (a section of U.S. Route 3) originates south of Hamlet, providing the only motorist access to the Leonida Keys chain of islands.

The city's main thoroughfare depicted in leak footage is a direct rendition of North Krome Avenue, which runs through the heart of real-world Homestead, Florida. The terrain surrounding Hamlet transitions from suburban development to the agricultural flatlands and eventually the wetlands of the Grassrivers (Leonida's Everglades equivalent) to the west.

Points of Interest

Appearances

Hamlet has appeared in the following confirmed materials:

• September 2022 leak: Hamlet's name appeared three times in a debug menu listing world events. A clip showed Lucia aiming an assault rifle at pursuing police officers from the bed of a pickup truck driving northbound on State Route 61 in the Hamlet vicinity.

• Trailer 1 (December 4, 2023): The Leonida Penitentiary and a power plant are visible in the distance during the opening shot of the trailer.

• Trailer 2 (May 6, 2025): A Keys Causeway road sign lists Hamlet and points toward its direction, confirming its location near the southeastern tip of mainland Leonida.

• Official screenshots: The Hamlet Water Tower is visible in Rockstar's official screenshots depicting the Leonida Keys and Grassrivers areas.

Real-World Inspiration

Hamlet is based on Homestead, Florida, a city in the southern portion of Miami-Dade County. Homestead is the second-largest city in the county and sits at the southern edge of the Miami metropolitan area, serving as the last major urban center before the Florida Keys. Several features link the two:

• Hamlet's main thoroughfare is a direct rendition of North Krome Avenue, Homestead's central commercial strip.

• The Keys Causeway south of Hamlet mirrors the Overseas Highway (U.S. Route 1), which begins south of Homestead and carries traffic through the Florida Keys to Key West.

• The Hamlet Water Tower is modeled after the real Homestead Water Tower, a local landmark.

• Both cities sit at the transition between suburban development and the expansive wetlands to the west (Grassrivers in Leonida; the Everglades in Florida).

The name "Hamlet" evokes a small settlement or village, fitting for a city that is considerably smaller than the urban sprawl of Vice City to the north.

Trivia

• Hamlet is one of the few GTA VI locations confirmed through a debug menu listing in the September 2022 leak, appearing three separate times in the world events list.

• The Leonida Penitentiary in Hamlet is central to the game's narrative, as it is where Lucia begins her story arc.

• Real-world Homestead was devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, one of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history. Given GTA VI's emphasis on weather and environment, this history may inform the game's depiction of the area.

• The name "Hamlet" is also a famous Shakespeare play about a prince of Denmark, though this is likely coincidental rather than an intentional reference.