Artist reimagines GTA VI Characters with a Desi Twist

Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA) is the latest edition to be revealed by Rockstar Games in the GTA series.

The eagerly awaited action-adventure game will be the eighth main game, succeeding GTA V (2013) and marking the sixteenth overall entry.

The game unfolds in the fictional open-world state of Leonida, modelled after Florida, with a particular focus on Vice City – a Miami-inspired locale.

The narrative is expected to centre around the exploits of a criminal duo, led by the character Lucia and her male partner.

After years of speculation and high expectations, Rockstar officially acknowledged the game’s development in February 2022.

Subsequently, in September of the same year, footage from unfinished versions surfaced online, constituting one of the most significant leaks in the history of the video game industry.

The official revelation of the game occurred in December 2023, with a scheduled release date for 2025 on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The trailer itself brought massive attention, being viewed millions of times in the space of 24 hours. 

With the big reveal, many die-hard fans put their spin on the main characters, showing what they would’ve done differently with the new protagonists.

One such person was Vik Kainth, a digital illustrator from London.

Renowned for blending traditional Indian art and contemporary digital techniques, his mission is to captivate audiences with the rich heritage of South Asian art.

So, he decided to do that again with his own Desi spin on GTA VI. 

Posting a series of images to Instagram, his caption read: 

“Come on game heads, even I knew this had to be done.

“This legend of a franchise by @rockstargames is one of my favourites growing up and still is.

“So when the new trailer dropped for 6, the response was insanity.”

“As an artist and a gamer at heart, I visioned the main characters in this Desi flip, redesigned clothing and utilising the number 6 in Panjabi to really nail it overall.

“This is my first official piece of 2024! Let’s go! – Peace and enjoy! – also what shall we name these characters if there were a GTA Panjab?”

Of course, the images got a lot of love from Vik’s avid following and fellow gamers. Anusha Sareen said: 

“Can’t wait for this game, great piece!”

Dreamart commented: “Smashed it Vik”, whilst Kunal Bharaj stated: “Little details matter”. 

Vik also uploaded a video which shows the process of him bringing these Desi characters to life.

It would be an understatement to say that his remaining has been a smash hit with people. 

The photos have also sparked a wider discussion around South Asian characters in mainstream games and if this could be an avenue for gaming companies. 

GTA VI  revolves around Lucia, the series’ first female protagonist in over two decades.

So, could this indicate a more inclusive and diverse approach from Rockstar?

Either way, Vik’s images are magical and certainly capture the essence of the game and South Asian effortlessly.