WHY WE CAN'T SWIM IN GTA VICE CITY

Game Name: GTA Vice City
Release Year: 2002
Developer: Rockstar Games
Platform: PC, PlayStation 2, Mobile

 He is a gangster who comes out of prison
 He goes to Vice City to build his crime empire
 He goes to Vice City to build his crime empire
According to the developers of GTA City, Tommy never swims because the rivers are too flooded.

 It's said that Tommy is from Liability City, not Vice City, so the water there is very polluted and toxic. Therefore, he never stays in water, and any NPS who swim are killed.

 Theory says that he never learned to swim because he always wanted to be a gangster, so that's not possible.
 According to Rockstar, games never include water missions, which is why he never swims. 

 In 2002, it was very difficult to install swimming mechanisms, but it took only 6 months to make the game. This is why he does not swim in water.
The theory goes that Tommy is a gangster and hence he never swims because he likes to kill people rather than doing it himself. So, being a gangster, he never swims or learns to swim. And in the mafia world, there is a saying called sleeping with fishes, which means kill the enemy and throw him into the water.
According to this theory, Tommy cannot swim because of his past in the criminal world. Before arriving in Vice City, he spent 15 years in prison after a violent incident known as the Harwood massacre. During his prison life, Tommy was constantly surrounded by danger and survival situations. Some fans believe he developed a fear of deep water during this time, possibly from a traumatic event connected to punishment, torture, or an attempted escape involving water.

There is also a meaning. Vice City is about power, control and being in charge. Tommy takes over land, businesses and gangs.. Water is one thing he can't control. This is a weakness, in the story that keeps him from being too perfect even as he gets more powerful.
He struggles with this. It keeps him human. Vice City and power go hand in hand.
Tommy and Vice City are closely tied.
The most realistic reason is technical limitation. Vice City was released in 2002 by Rockstar Games. At that time, the game engine did not fully support swimming mechanics. Adding swimming would require underwater animations, oxygen systems, water physics, and underwater map design. The developers likely decided to focus more on story missions, vehicles, and city design instead of building complex water gameplay