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Los Santos is a major fictional city located in Blaine County within the state of San Andreas. First appearing in the original Grand Theft Auto, it has since become a cornerstone of the series, featuring prominently in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto V, and Grand Theft Auto Online.
The city is a sprawling metropolis known for its diverse cultures, from the glitz of the Vinewood film industry to the gang-controlled streets of South Los Santos, and serves as a satirical reflection of contemporary American life. It is home to iconic franchise locations like Grove Street.
The City of Los Santos is a vast and sprawling metropolis depicted as a city of immense wealth and the various ways it is displayed. It serves as the county seat of Los Santos County and is the most populated and developed region in southern San Andreas.
The city's atmosphere is a mix of glamour and danger; while it boasts a great climate, beautiful views, and advanced infrastructure, it is also characterized by a high mortality rate, rampant crime, and widespread corruption. The city is populated by satirical NPCs and is intrinsically linked with car culture, from luxury sports cars to the vehicles used in criminal activities. While known for its visceral and violent action, if the chaos subsides, Los Santos can be a beautiful place, with peaceful pastimes like golf and yoga available, though these are often overshadowed by its criminal underbelly.
Los Santos is based on Los Angeles, California, and its greater metropolitan area. The name "Los Santos" is Spanish for "The Saints," a direct play on the name of its real-world counterpart, "Los Angeles" (The Angels). According to Rockstar Games' Dan Houser, the development team felt they had unfinished business after Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and wanted to create a "proper Los Angeles." The goal for Grand Theft Auto V was to move beyond the gang culture focus of the previous iteration and instead explore the broader contemporary culture of L.A.
The design philosophy aimed to create an "entirely fresh game world" that felt different from both Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV and the original Los Santos. The team was interested in the contrast between urban Los Angeles and the surrounding rural and desert areas of Southern California, seeing it as a "great microcosm of red state/blue state theme." This allowed for a wide variety of gameplay environments and cultural themes to be explored. A video comparison highlights that the city is at least somewhat accurately based on L.A., capturing the feel of its landmarks and areas even if the layout is altered for gameplay purposes.
Los Santos is a massive urban environment connected by a large system of freeways, interstates, and highways known for heavy traffic congestion. The city is divided into 40 distinct districts and neighborhoods. Key transportation arteries include the La Puerta Freeway, Del Perro Freeway, and Great Ocean Highway. The city's geography includes beachfront communities like Del Perro and Vespucci, the affluent Vinewood Hills overlooking the city, the industrial Port of Los Santos to the south, and the dense urban core of Downtown. The Los Santos International Airport (LSIA) is located in the southernmost part of the city, a different placement than the real-world LAX.
The city's weather is often affected by heavy pollution, with smog being common in the mornings. At night, the sky can take on a dark yellow color, especially when cloudy or raining. According to an in-game radio ad, Los Santos was named the "most polluted city in the world" in 2013. Annually, as part of the Festive Surprise event in Grand Theft Auto Online, the entire map is covered in snow for several days, a phenomenon that baffles in-universe reporters.
Los Santos is home to numerous districts, landmarks, and points of interest, many of which are direct parodies of real-world Los Angeles locations.
The population of Los Santos is incredibly diverse, reflecting its varied districts. It is home to affluent celebrities in Vinewood Hills and Richman, a large population of Korean and Asian immigrants in Little Seoul, and predominantly African-American and Latino communities in South and East Los Santos, respectively. The city is populated with what are described as satirical NPCs, including "hordes of douches" found roaming Vespucci Beach.
The city is also a hub for organized crime. The southern part of the city, particularly Chamberlain Hills, Davis, and Strawberry, suffers from high crime rates due to conflicts between street gangs like The Families, the Ballas, the Los Santos Vagos, and the Varrios Los Aztecas. More organized syndicates, such as the Salvadorian Marabunta Grande, are also expanding their narcotics and arms-trafficking operations in the city.
In Grand Theft Auto Online, Los Santos is a dynamic and constantly evolving world. The city receives regular updates that introduce new locations, vehicles, and activities. Various events are hosted in the city, offering players increased rewards and unique content. For example, special events like the LS Car Meet's Double Rewards Week encourage participation in street races.
Seasonal events bring major changes, such as the annual Festive Surprise, which covers the entire map in snow and introduces holiday-themed activities. Other events, like the Valentine's season event, offer themed rewards and discounts. The city also features unique properties and businesses players can own, such as Auto Shops.
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