The next entry in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise returns to the Miami-inspired location of Vice City. This means a new high-fidelity version of the city, what if Grand Theft Auto 5The San Andreas of was a hint, it will be filled with references to the metropolis that inspired it.
That’s why I better be able to play Jai Alai in this crazy game.
There are at least seven very good reasons why a new GTA based in Vice City should include jai alai:
1. It is distinctly Miami. This is where the sport exploded in popularity in America, with the state at one point hosting 10 frontons, which is what the jai alai court is called! Today, the state’s final two frontons still operate in Miami, and it is there that the Jai-Alai World League takes place.
2. It is known as the fastest sport, which also makes it one of the most dangerous sports, with pelota traveling at speeds well over 150 mph. People reportedly died in the early years of the sport. How could Rockstar let such a (potentially) deadly sport pass?
3. This gives Rockstar’s writers an opportunity to make a joke that fans of Mad Men will laugh lightly.
Photo: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
4. This is yet another way of looking at the prism of American culture and its tendency to transform beautiful things into yet another form of crass commercialism and exploitation. The remaining jai alai frontons in Miami are actually part of the casinos, because gambling is the only thing keeping the sport alive, even if it’s on life support. It is poetic as desired.
5. It looks awesome. There’s a reason this future sport’s uniforms Batman Beyond look so cool, and that’s partly because they’re inspired by the curved baskets that jai alai players use, known as cestas.
6. GTA 5 is full of activities, from tennis to BASE jumping to arm wrestling, so it makes perfect sense to include a sporting activity like jai alai in GTA6. After all, this is the studio that created a meticulously precise table tennis game.
7. Oh, and I almost forgot: it’s literally linked to American organized crime! In 1981, the owner of the Miami-based World Jai Alai organization was assassinated at the direction of notorious Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger.
I wouldn’t be shocked if I missed other reasons why jai alai absolutely needs to be there. Grand Theft Auto 6so feel free to leave them in the comments below!
Learn more
Gn tech
