A team from developer Rockstar Games, the studio behind the Grand Theft Auto series, flew over a stadium hosting a Beyoncé concert while conducting fieldwork with aerial footage and photography for reference in Florida. The episode was reported by journalist Jason Schreier, and developers also said that residents shared stories about crimes they or people they knew had committed after learning they were speaking with professionals from the series.

Aaron Garbut, Rockstar North's co-studio head and head of development—the Rockstar Games studio responsible for the series—described field research in Florida in an interview, including visits to real-world locations to observe and document settings, people, and environments. The research included a helicopter flight over the Everglades, urban areas, and a stadium where a Beyoncé concert was taking place.

Jonathan Ashcroft, Rockstar's senior vice president of technology, summed up the reaction of people encountered during this research in an account to Schreier: “As soon as they know where you're from, they just want to tell you every crime they or their friends have ever committed.” The quote refers to stories shared with the team, not verified crimes or events already associated with the game's plot.

The trips brought together artists and production leaders to observe various environments across Miami, along with ride-alongs with police officers and aerial filming and photography. Ashcroft also told Schreier that he spent his 40th birthday at a nightclub during one of these visits while colleagues observed the venue's lighting.

The flyover took place during this documentation work, and Rockstar Games has not announced Beyoncé's involvement in GTA VI. There is no indication of a musical collaboration, an appearance by the singer, a mission, a character, or an event based on that episode; Rockstar's officially published information about the game's music also does not include her among the names announced.

The stories heard by the team help provide references for language, locations, and social contrasts in a fictional version of Florida, but there is no confirmation that any real-life crime story became a specific mission, character, or event. Rockstar presents Leonida as the fictional state inspired by Florida in GTA VI, with Vice City, the fictional city inspired by Miami, at the center of the story starring Jason and Lucia.

Grand Theft Auto VI is Rockstar Games' next action-crime game, set in the fictional state of Leonida. It is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.