The scuba diving mechanic is a context-specific underwater traversal and exploration system that allows players to descend below the water surface for extended periods using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA). In the Grand Theft Auto series, scuba diving was first introduced as a fully fledged mechanic in Grand Theft Auto V (2013), where it enabled Rockstar Games to leverage the vast underwater portion of the Los Santos map. With Grand Theft Auto VI (scheduled for 19 November 2026) set in the fictional state of Leonida — including the Leonida Keys, based on the Florida Keys — scuba diving is widely anticipated to return as a substantially expanded mechanic, given the prominence of coral reefs, wrecks, and tropical waters in the game's marketed setting (Rockstar Games, 2024).
In Grand Theft Auto V, scuba diving is one of several "context-specific activities" players can engage in while free-roaming the open world, alongside activities such as BASE jumping, hunting, and tennis (Wikipedia contributors, 2025a). The mechanic is unlocked through both narrative progression and equipment acquisition. Players can obtain scuba gear by:
Once underwater, players control oxygen consumption via an air gauge displayed on the heads-up display (HUD); the gauge depletes over time and forces players to ascend before drowning. The Los Santos map contains a substantial subaquatic biome featuring kelp forests, shipwrecks, downed aircraft, sharks, dolphins, and 30 hidden Nuclear Waste Barrels that yield in-game cash when collected by Trevor (GTA Wiki contributors, 2024). Scuba diving is also integral to several story missions — most notably the "Bury the Hatchet" prelude and "The Merryweather Heist" (Offshore approach), where the protagonists dive to recover a stolen device from a sunken freighter (Rockstar Games, 2013). The mechanic uses a slowed swim animation, reduced visibility, and ambient underwater audio to convey immersion, while predators such as great white sharks introduce a survival-horror dimension.
Grand Theft Auto VI is confirmed to include the Leonida Keys, a region based on the Florida Keys (Wikipedia contributors, 2025b). The Florida Keys are a world-renowned diving destination, home to the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States and numerous Spanish-galleon and modern shipwrecks (Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, n.d.). Trailer 1 (December 2023) and Trailer 2 (May 2025) prominently feature aerial shots of clear turquoise waters, coral formations, sandbars, and boating culture, strongly implying that underwater exploration will be a far more developed pillar of gameplay than in GTA V.
Anticipated features, extrapolated from the trailers, leaked 2022 footage, and Rockstar's general design trajectory, include:
Rockstar's RAGE engine, upgraded for current-generation hardware on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, is expected to deliver significantly improved water caustics, sub-surface scattering, and volumetric particle effects compared to GTA V's 2013 implementation (Wikipedia contributors, 2025b). Increased draw distances and denser ecosystems were already a focus in GTA V's enhanced editions, and these advancements are likely to be applied underwater. Physics-based buoyancy, current simulation, and pressure-based oxygen consumption could provide a more simulation-leaning experience than the arcade-style swim of GTA V.
Scuba diving evolved from a minor context-specific novelty in GTA V — a useful but optional mechanic primarily exploited for collectibles and a handful of missions — into what is expected to be a signature pillar of GTA VI's Leonida Keys experience. The thematic and geographic alignment of the Florida Keys with diving culture, combined with hardware capable of rendering photorealistic marine environments, positions the scuba mechanic as a likely showcase feature for Rockstar's next entry.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (n.d.) About the sanctuary. Available at: https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/ (Accessed: 14 May 2026).
GTA Wiki contributors (2024) Scuba Gear and Submarine in Grand Theft Auto V. Fandom. Available at: https://gta.fandom.com/ (Accessed: 14 May 2026).
Rockstar Games (2013) Grand Theft Auto V. New York: Take-Two Interactive.
Rockstar Games (2024) Grand Theft Auto VI – Official Trailer 1. Available at: https://www.rockstargames.com/VI (Accessed: 14 May 2026).
Rockstar Games (2025) Grand Theft Auto VI – Official Trailer 2 and character descriptions. Available at: https://www.rockstargames.com/VI (Accessed: 14 May 2026).
Wikipedia contributors (2025a) Grand Theft Auto V. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_V (Accessed: 14 May 2026).
Wikipedia contributors (2025b) Grand Theft Auto VI. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_VI (Accessed: 14 May 2026).