Miami is preparing a massive promotional campaign for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI. The city and Rockstar Games are discussing a promo that will partially bring the atmosphere of the fictional Vice City into real-world Miami. One of the most noticeable elements will be a huge sign on the roof of the Kaseya Center — the home arena of the Miami Heat basketball team.
However, the story behind the multi-million dollar deal is somewhat more complicated than it might seem. On September 10, the Miami Beach Commission voted 4–3 to authorize the city manager to negotiate with Rockstar Games and advertising agency Amplify Marketing regarding the GTA 6 campaign. The city is expected to receive about $3 million, while the total economic benefit could approach $4 million. The campaign is planned to run from October 15 through the end of 2026, meaning it will also cover the game's release on November 19.
One of the reasons for such caution stems from concerns raised by some officials. Certain representatives of local authorities believe that Grand Theft Auto romanticizes crime, violence, and attacks on law enforcement. For this reason, the potential advertising must not feature the full title Grand Theft Auto, the GTA abbreviation, or direct depictions of the game's logo. Instead, more subtle elements will be used — "VI", "Vice City", beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, chairs, and other themed objects.
The Kaseya Center could become a particularly interesting part of the campaign. Preparation for the installation of a massive structure with signage along the lines of "Welcome To Vice City" / "Welcome To VI" has already been spotted on the arena's roof. Local journalists report that Basketball Properties, Miami-Dade County, and Rockstar Games are working on the advertising placement deal.
This appears especially symbolic, given that the Kaseya Center itself effectively became part of GTA 6's virtual landscape. Rockstar recreated recognizable elements of real Miami in its Vice City, so the advertising campaign goes beyond standard billboards: a real city is starting to advertise a fictional city that was created in its image.
Moreover, Miami-Dade County had previously considered an even larger-scale collaboration. County officials proposed that Rockstar style the airport, port, transit infrastructure, and select public spaces in Vice City branding. Among the ideas were thematic styling for Miami International Airport, Vice City branding elements, and special events. However, these proposals remained at the discussion stage and were not automatically part of the approved advertising deal.
For Rockstar, this could become one of the most unusual advertising campaigns in the history of the series. GTA 6 returns players to Vice City, which this time is a reimagining of Miami and Florida, while Miami itself is effectively using a fictional version of itself to promote the game.
There isn't much time left until launch: Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to release on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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