GTA 6 Easter egg brings back a surprising Grand Theft Auto character from 23 years ago

Grand Theft Auto 6's new trailer hasn't just brought with it a ton of excitement for the game, as fans have seemingly spotted a major Easter egg hidden inside that could signal the return of a major character from over 23 years ago.

News of a delay to GTA 6's release date hit the fanbase like a brick as many had mentally prepared themselves to play it later this year, and instead now have to wait over 12 months to dive into the state of Leonida and return to Vice City.

In typical Rockstar fashion though we've all been granted a gift in the form of a new trailer, breaking a major record that saw fans losing hope across the ever-increasing wait for more information.

Stunning graphics, an extended look into our two main characters, and a glimpse at some of the activities that we'll be able to undertake once the game releases have raised the hype level beyond all expectations, yet one hidden detail might just be the icing on the cake for long-time fans of the series.

New GTA 6 trailer hints at fan favorite character return

As adeptly spotted by X user @_hyewoon, an advert for the in-world gun shop 'Ammu-Nation' could potentially feature the return of Phil Cassidy, who primarily featured in GTA III and Vice City 23 years ago.

The mullet and handlebar moustache-sporting gun lover certainly does look to be the spitting image of Cassidy in GTA Vice City, and while it might be a long shot for Cassidy to fill the same role as he had in previous games, it wouldn't exactly be out of character for Rockstar to feature a subtle nod for dedicated fans.

There does seem to be one major problem though, as a user in the replies has pointed out a key detail that might have gone amiss. "If you played Vice City you'd know Phil Cassidy lost an arm," they point out, and our GTA 6 character does indeed have two.

It's unclear whether GTA 6 exists in the same timeline at Vice City, despite being set in the same Miami-like locale, so perhaps this could be the 2026 version of Cassidy that hasn't yet lost his arm. Besides, he also doesn't look a day older despite there being a 23 year time jump.

GTA 6 cameos might not be what you'd expect

This seems to be a major argument within the community against Cassidy's inclusion in the upcoming game too, despite demands for him to be included in the revision of Vice City from some.

"How do people still not know the 3D and HD games are in different universes?" writes one comment in response to fan demands, adding that it's simply "not happening."

Another does propose a potential solution though, illustrating that "for certain side characters they could twist an arm and have them either a reference or be similar to their 3D universe version." However, Phil seems to be off the table due to his prominence in older games, so this might purely be a coincidence and nothing more than that.