GTA VI trailer: the advert that broke the internet

A collection of in-game footage has clocked up over 500 million views, but can your brand creatively cash in on the GTA-effect?

Costing more money, and more build hours than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, Rockstar Games GTA VI has been one of the most ambitious projects in modern times, across any medium/genre.

It was no surprise then, that Rockstar Games’ second trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) took off into the stratosphere, offering an exciting glimpse into the much-anticipated game’s stunning visuals, new characters, and an expansive open-world setting.

The nearly three-minute trailer introduces players to the fictional state of Leonida, Rockstar's modern-day take on Florida, with Vice City as its bustling coastal heart. The trailer features sun-drenched landscapes, chaotic heists, and a nostalgic nod to classic characters.

New characters, world, and storyline

The trailer reveals the game's two protagonists, Jason and Lucia, who embark on a crime spree across Leonida. The trailer also showcases a far more expansive map than previous games, featuring everything from sprawling highways and swamps to packed urban centres and chaotic back alleys to wreak havoc in.

Fans have been waiting since 2013 for an updated addition to the series, and the release date has been pushed back to 26 May, 2026 in order to "deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."

So, with all this hype, organic attention and in-world branding opportunities, surely companies are falling over themselves to get involved in the franchise? Well, the reality is a little complex.

Brand protection

Firstly, the virtual world that GTA has created uses comedic company namesakes for the stores, cars and various attractions that appear in the franchise. This was partly to avoid copyright issues, but it has seemingly become a fundamental part of the game’s charm.

This makes shoehorning in an actual brand or product ill-fitting within the game’s beloved aesthetic. This strategy sets it apart from Epic Games’ Fortnite, which has brought in iconic characters like Predator and Terminator to attract more fans and revenue.

Rockstar is not totally averse to brand opportunities, however. In 2020, its ‘The Cayo Perico Heist’ update saw clothing brands Civilist, a Berlin-based skater clothing line, and MISBHV, a Polish streetwear brand, make appearances.

Rockstar’s publisher Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick shed more light on the strategy in a gamesindustry.biz interview: "The world of 'GTA' is a fictional world, so to bring real-life brands in, they really have to be iconic and they have to fit within that world […] It's very much a creative decision driven by the team at Rockstar [...] We wouldn't include a brand just based on a financial opportunity in any of our titles."

Rockstar then, is understandably shy of rocking the boat when it comes to branding. Given that the franchise rests heavily on immersing fans into its own world, anything that’s not in keeping with that is simply not worth the risk.

I, for one, admire Rockstar for being cagey about branding opportunities and not giving in to a quick buck. It’s hard to argue the strategy hasn’t served them well so far.