Fans may be frustrated with Rockstar over the latest GTA 6 delay, but did you know GTA 5 hides several clever Dexter references?
Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will no longer meet its previously announced release date of May 26, 2026. The studio revealed in a new update that the long-awaited sequel will now launch six months later, on November 19, 2026. The announcement immediately sparked frustration among gamers who have been counting down the days to finally return to Vice City after more than a decade since GTA V’s debut.
The Grand Theft Auto franchise has always meant more than just a game to hundreds of millions of players around the world, and can be easily described as a cultural phenomenon. But this upcoming release holds a special kind of anticipation for Dexter fans in particular. With GTA 6 set in Vice City, Rockstar’s fictional version of Miami, many of us are eagerly hoping for subtle nods to the series that shared the same setting.
And if you think Rockstar wouldn’t include Dexter references, think again. Grand Theft Auto 5, released on September 17, 2013 (just days before the Dexter series finale) already featured several hidden easter eggs inspired by the show. They were easy to miss, scattered across missions and the sprawling map of Los Santos, but for those who actually paid attention, the clues were unmitsakable.
Here are five Dexter-related easter eggs and references you can find in Grand Theft Auto 5:
1. “Dexter Fisher” and “Morgan Price”
In the Slasher Adversary Mode and the Halloween events, players discovered a coroner’s board that lists two names: “Dexter Fisher” and “Morgan Price.” The nod to Dexter Morgan is honestly impossible to ignore, and it’s definitely one of the most recognized Dexter references in the entire game.
2. The Trinity Killer Reference
On that same coroner’s board, in hte top right corner, a beige flyer advertises a handyman named “A. Mitchell.” Below his number, there’s a hammer identical to one used by Arthur Mitchell aka the Trinity Killer from Season 4.
3. The Body Wrapped in Plastic Underwater
Deep beneath the waters of Los Santos lies a body wrapped entirely in plastic. While not dismembered like Dexter’s usual victims, this visual immediately calls back his disposal methods, and even to Season 1, when Brian Moser retrieved the plastic-wrapped body of Jorge Castillo’s wife from the ocean, to send a message to his long-lost brother.
4. Floating Black Trash Bags
Another discovery involves a cluster of eight floating black trash bags near an abandoned boat, which is also a reference to Dexter's 'Slice of Life' boat. Coincidence or not, the number eight matches the total number of seasons in the original Dexter series.
5. The Building Where Trinity Killed Tarla Grant
One of Trinity’s ritualistic murders from Season 4, where he forced his victim Tarla Grant to fall from a building, appears to have been recreated in GTA 5. Fans who compared the in-game location with the show’s real-life spot (which is actually in Los Angeles) noticed striking similarities.
While the delay of GTA 6 has disappointed fans across the world, us Dexter enthusiasts remain optimistic. With the new game returning to a Miami-inspired setting, the potential for Dexter references is higher than ever, especially considering that the show is more popular now than it has ever been.
The question that remains is how many easter eggs Rockstar will hide this time. Either way the possibilities are endless, and the wait might just be worth it.