So why is it called Los Santos?

[R1ch4rd N1x0n]

If the city is based on Los Angeles, why not name it… Los Angeles?

Before you say “Copyright” or anything like that, L.A. Noire takes place in Los Angeles, and it’s in fact called Los Angeles. So that can’t be it.

[ShelLuser]

Noire takes place in ancient LA, that's different. Another possibility is liability, what if someone took offense to something in the mock up LA? Now R* can state that it isn't LA, so... Non issue.

[[-iD-]]

this is a parody, it wouldn't make sense to name it directly the same thing.

[R1ch4rd N1x0n]

Originally posted by -iD-:

this is a parody, it wouldn't make sense to name it directly the same thing.

But it looks near exactly the same. It's no parody. It's a recreation.

[[-iD-]]

Originally posted by R1ch4rd N1x0n:

Originally posted by -iD-:

this is a parody, it wouldn't make sense to name it directly the same thing.

But it looks near exactly the same. It's no parody. It's a recreation.

its an island and it doesn't look anything like LA except for the theme.

[Scoob454]

The same reason they call it Vice City instead of Miami, San Andreas instead of California, Liberty City instead of New York City, etc..

They're not 1:1 copies. They are absolutely (satirical) parodies. It also keeps R* out of any trouble that could come out of portraying actual locations in a bad light.

[Hellsmoke]

It is a recreation, as close as you get in any video game anyways and it is very close. I too see no point in calling it Los Santos, everyone knows what it's supposed to be and there's no denying it.

[in]

Because they wanted to call it so.

[Sleeepy]

Because it's a game...

[globefish23]

Because that's the artistic style, established long ago with the first iteration in the franchise from 1997.
No cities, vehicles or weapons use the real-world names.

The only exceptions are the cities of London and Manchester, used in the GTA London 1969 and GTA London 1961 expansions respectively.

[Miss Marti. Morgan]

Maybe everyone MOVED from LA jk ... I think Scoob is right, for example Washington DC is called the swamp but some people online now, so if i was a game designer , i wouldn't want my work to be judged by a new nickname of some town or city, I would just create my own name.

[Jafran™]

Who cares?

[R1ch4rd N1x0n]

Originally posted by Jafran™:

Who cares?

Me. Otherwise, I would not have asked.