GTA 6 fans target Florida nudist resort with fake reviews after gameplay leaks
Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee has become the target of harassment from gamers identifying it as a real-world inspiration for the upcoming title.
Fans of the upcoming game Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) have targeted a Florida business with a wave of online harassment. The incident follows the identification of a local resort as the real-world inspiration for a location seen in leaked gameplay footage.
The targeted business, Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, was flooded with dozens of fabricated reviews on platforms including Google and TripAdvisor. These reviews frequently referenced leaked game elements, specifically mentioning the character 'Jason Duval.' In response to the surge of spam, resort management began flagging the posts, stating, "THIS IS NOT A LEGITIMATE GUEST REVIEW."
The culture of 'IRL' hunting
This harassment stems from a common trend within the gaming community to locate "IRL" (in real life) counterparts to locations found in Rockstar Games' titles. The Grand Theft Auto series is known for creating satirical versions of real-world cities—in this case, Vice City and the surrounding Florida landscape. When massive leaks of GTA 6 gameplay footage hit the internet, fans began cross-referencing the digital environments with satellite imagery and local business listings to find the physical locations that inspired the game's map.
Real-world consequences of digital tourism
While these searches are often treated as a game by the community, the impact on small businesses can be severe. This incident highlights how "digital tourism" and fan obsession can cross the line into targeted harassment. For a business like Cypress Cove, which has no connection to the entertainment industry, the influx of fake reviews can damage its online reputation and disrupt daily operations. Some reports suggest that individuals may have attempted to extort the resort owners by demanding payment in exchange for removing the fabricated reviews, though this claim has not been independently verified through official legal statements.
What remains unconfirmed
As the gaming community continues to dissect leaked footage, other local businesses in Florida may find themselves similarly targeted. It remains unclear whether Rockstar Games or the platforms hosting the reviews will take further action to mitigate the harassment. For now, the resort continues to manage the fallout of its accidental association with one of the most anticipated video games in history.