Rockstar Games is continuing to ramp up GTA 6's massive marketing with a Vice City blimp, NFL promos, and much more, despite protests from some Miami officials.
For the last two months, Rockstar has been setting up marketing for what will likely be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, releases in entertainment history. It kicked things off with a massive gameplay reveal on Netflix, followed by a blitz of merch and add-ons such as an album featuring original music created for GTA 6. Now, Rockstar is taking over the real world to help spread the word of what's to come on November 19.
Rockstar is currently focusing marketing on the city of Miami. GTA 6 takes place in a fictional version of Miami known as Vice City, so Rockstar is utilizing the city for a lot of its advertising, which has led to friction between city officials. Some are all for it, as they hope it attracts more tourism and generates increased revenue. Others, however, are strongly opposed and have been for weeks.
According to The Miamian, County Commissioner René Garcia has expressed displeasure over the marketing campaign for GTA 6 in Miami, reporting he's "really uncomfortable with this whole thing." Specifically, Garcia doesn't like that the city is collaborating with a "game that's depicting Miami like a crime haven; Miami like a murder capital.”
Garcia and other officials are reportedly attempting to squash negotiations with Rockstar to expand its marketing efforts for GTA 6 in the city, which allegedly include ads at Miami International Airport and a $4 million transformation of Miami Beach. The rollout was expected to begin as soon as October 15, but Miami journalist Joel Franco stated that an unnamed official doubts that deals will be finalized in time.
In September, Rockstar paid just shy of $1 million to install a massive, glowing "Welcome to Vice City" sign on top of the Miami Heat's arena, the Kaseya Center. The arena will also be home to an unprecedented NBA game sponsored by Rockstar Games. On November 18, the Miami Heat will play a regular season game against the Milwaukee Bucks on a Vice City-themed court with never-before-seen jerseys inspired by GTA 6. The arena will also be selling Vice City merch, with Rockstar and the NBA labeling the event as a "night in Vice City."
Over the weekend, Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins, was covered in GTA 6 ads. The stadium's jumbotron featured ads for the game, promoting its release date. During touchdowns, the screen also had a GTA 6-themed animation with text that read "In for VI," in reference to the team scoring six points.
New image of Hard Rock Stadium #GTAVI marketing on the actual live cam screen via @golfoscar69
— ben (@videotech) October 11, 2026
This is insane marketing. https://t.co/bgdUXDDXBE
Now, a blimp appears to be on its way to Florida as well. A Goodyear blimp with Vice City branding is currently flying out of Ohio and is reportedly on its way to North Carolina. It's speculated that it will eventually make its way to Florida, possibly during other sporting events or other planned marketing activations in the coming weeks. Rockstar has also put up at least one Vice City mural in Miami. It's clear Rockstar is ready to spend whatever it takes to get the word out and to effectively turn Miami into a real version of Vice City.
Goodyear Blimp with Vice City livery is currently flying south out of Akron, Ohio. Scheduled to stop in North Carolina this afternoon. Wondering if it’ll head to South Florida for the big marketing kickoff on Thursday? 👀
— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) October 12, 2026
📸: Cecil Richmond/Goodyear Blimp Fan Club https://t.co/AloPE0LdVR
Meanwhile, there's plenty going on in the world of GTA 6, including an alleged PC release window, ongoing leaks, and much more.