Rockstar’s marketing has moved into the real world. Locals saw a fleet of real cars, made to look like their in-game versions, driving together through the city with Leonida license plates. People quickly shared photos and videos on social media.
The lineup included a Chevrolet Corvette made to look like the Coquette, a Lamborghini painted in Vice Beach Police colors, and a McLaren styled as a real-life Progen Emerus. There were also real versions of the Cheetah, Coquette D10, Tempesta, and Manana.
At one point, the cars stopped at a local gas station. Photos from @andrewblakeames on Instagram (shared by OnlyinDade on X) show the cars parked with the Goodyear blimp in the background, which was also advertising GTA 6.
For months, Rockstar has been transforming Miami into Vice City. In September, the studio spent almost $1 million to put a glowing “Welcome to Vice City” sign on top of the Kaseya Center, where the Miami Heat play. Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Dolphins, was covered in GTA 6 ads one weekend. There is even a Vice City blimp.
Planes are flying promotional banners, and the Miami Heat will be rebranded for one game. Most people in the community find it funny, and some can’t believe all this is for a video game. “That Vice City Police Huracan is FIRE,” one X user wrote. Another said, “Miami is so unserious for turning a game launch into a city-wide event like this is just a normal Tuesday for them.”
Some local officials are not happy about the campaign. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz criticized linking the county to “a franchise built on crime, drug trafficking, and violence against law enforcement.” Commissioner David Suarez also questioned if promoting a game about fictional crime matches Miami Beach’s efforts to fight real problems. While some officials like the extra revenue and attention, others do not.
None of the cars actually say GTA 6, but they don’t have to. The Leonida plates and Vice Beach police designs make it clear for anyone who knows the game. GTA 6 comes out on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, so Miami has about a month left of this. We’ll have to wait and see how the city handles it.