For other uses of the term Shark, see Shark
The Sharks, also known as Streetwannabes, are a band of thugs in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
GTA Vice City
In GTA Vice City, they can be found around the North Point Mall and Prawn Island, but are not a threat to any other gang in Vice City. They can also be seen driving their Gang Burrito (the vehicle of the second generation of the Gang). It is suggested that they are involved in arms smuggling and drug trafficking. They seem to be on bad terms with The Bikers. They even stole Mitch Baker's prized motorcycle and stored it in a garage in Downtown Vice City. The unnamed leader of the Gang betrays Ricardo Diaz and steals his shipment of drugs, causing Diaz to order Tommy Vercetti to kill him and many others in an airstrike. They are usually seen wearing denim jackets and jeans.
GTA Vice City Stories
They are called "The Sharks" in GTA Vice City Stories and are in the island east of Vice City, they manage a number of drugs, smuggling, robbery and extortion businesses which Victor Vance can take over. The Sharks continue to attack Victor until all their businesses were taken. They often hunt Victor in their Gang Ranchers (the vehicle of the first generation of the Gang) and sometimes try to destroy his empire sites. They are seen wearing brightly coloured tracksuits, light brown or grey pants and berets. Their hats has a shark fin symbol on them. Their outfits resemble those worn by Gopnik, a Russian youth subculture which occasionally consist of petty street criminals.
Behavior
The Streetwannabe's in GTA Vice City are not hostile to Tommy Vercetti or Lance Vance after they killed their leader. Only hosts attack the player if the player attacks the Sharks.
The Sharks in GTA Vice Stories are hostile to Victor when he tries to take over their empire buildings. They will follow him anywhere he goes and will drive-by him from their Gang Rancher. They will also shoot him on sight if they see him on the streets. The Sharks will also shoot at members of the Vance Crime Family.
However, after Victor has took over all of their buildings, they will stop attacking him and they will be neutral to him. They won't attack the members of the Vance Crime Family either after this happens.
Prominent Appearances in Missions
- GTA Vice City Stories
- Leap and Bound
- Farewell to Arms
- GTA Vice City
Gallery
Trivia
- Some independent gangs/factions in Vice City are also listed as Streetwannabes according to statistics from the game. This includes soldiers at Fort Baxter Air Base and "gangs" that appear in some missions, such as the Forelli Crime Family members in 'Keep Your Friends Close...', the French agents in 'All Hands On Deck!', and the bodyguards of the counterfeiting syndicate in 'Hit The Courier'.
- The Scorpion is used by members if the player attacks their businesses (GTA VCS).
- The Chainsaw is not used by all members, but is used by a member of the Streetwannabes in 'Leap and Bound'.
- In Vice City Stories (1984), the Streetwannabes are seen in Ocean Beach, Washington Beach, Prawn Island, Vice Point and even have influence in Viceport, but their influence has shrunk into a small street gang. The only territory they have left are Prawn Island and the Vice Point region.
- In Vice City Stories (1984), the Streetwannabes are at war with the Bikers and are constantly attacking each others Empire Building. This explains why the Streetwannabes stole Mitch Baker's bike (which Tommy had to retrieve in 'Hog Tied'). It is implied the Streetwannabes still hold hatred towards the Bikers.
- In Vice City Stories, the Sharks always use the same skin model, but with different clothes, shoes, and berets colors.
- In GTA Vice City the members of the Sharks resemble the gang members in Michael Jackson's "Beat It" music video.
- The favorite radio stations of the Sharks are Flash FM and Wave 103.
- The Sharks are the only gang Tommy Vercetti does not perform missions for throughout the storyline of GTA Vice City.
- It is interesting to note that they are completely neutral to Tommy in GTA Vice City, even after he killed their leader. However, they will turn hostile to him if he attacks them or carjacks a Gang Burrito.
- In fact, the Sharks in VC are dangerous in missions only.
- In GTA VCS, after Victor took their Empire Buildings over, they won't appear on the streets any more. They can sometimes be seen driving their Gang Rancher around Prawn Island and Vice Point (if Victor carjacks them, they will shoot at the car and chase after it), but the members themselves won't appear. They can be encountered in rampages only after that and the Sharks will be neutral to the player unless he attacks them.
- The Sharks are arch-enemies of the Cholos and the Bikers since the beginning of the game. They will engage in violent confrontations if they meet each other on the streets.