GTA 6 Marketing Plans Hit A Roadblock With Miami Officials

Florida Officials Urge Against GTA 6 Marketing Plans, Fearing It Promotes "Criminal Activity" Published Sep 4, 2026, 5:45 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Rockstar’s ambitious plans to give the real Miami a Vice City makeover to market GTA 6 have hit a snag. The plan is to wrap the Metromover with the Vice City logo and paint in-game murals on high profile public buildings among other decorative overhauls. However, Miami-Dade sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez have voiced concern over whether the county should “promote a fictional depiction of Miami centered on crime, violence, and lawlessness.” “Grand Theft Auto is a video game franchise built around criminal activity,” the statement reads (via NBC Miami). “Its fictional world includes murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, violence against law enforcement, and other conduct that the men and women of the Miami-Dade sheriff’s office work every single day to prevent. “At a time when law enforcement is working every day to reduce violent crime, prevent robberies and car thefts, combat drug trafficking, and build stronger relationships between our deputies and the communities we serve, I believe we need to seriously consider the message we send when our government promotes a fictional identity centered around many of those same crimes.” Not everyone agrees, however. One county official pointed to the potential tourism returns and the spotlight it would place on the region; “Given Miami-Dade’s clear influence on the game, we think there could be a unique opportunity to generate revenue for the county while showcasing Miami-Dade to a massive audience," they said. Discussions have been held with Rockstar Games, though nothing has been approved yet, to which Bermude said, “I still cannot believe that we are even considering temporarily rebranding important county assets, including Miami International Airport, as Vice City Airport. We should be promoting the Miami-Dade we have worked so hard to build, not a fictional version of our community defined by crime and violence." Regardless of what decision the county makes, Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Ariana Fajardo, issued a letter urging officials to exclude courthouses from the GTA 6 marketing campaign, should it go ahead. “We respectfully request that all Miami-Dade County courthouses and court-related facilities be expressly excluded from any current or future discussions, proposals, marketing, filming, branding, signage, or other promotional activities associated with Grand Theft Auto 6 or the Vice City brand.” Bermudez is calling for more transparency in the discussions, though he urges that it shouldn't be considered. Systems Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Genre(s) Action, Adventure