- Miami Beach Commission approved Rockstar's proposal to market GTA 6 on September 10, 2026, in a City Commission hearing.
- The marketing deal will restrict Rockstar to marketing the terms "VI" and "Vice City" only on private beach equipment like chairs and umbrellas.
- The GTA 6 x Miami Beach campaign will run from October 15 to December 31, 2026.
Miami residents and GTA 6 fans now finally have cause to celebrate as the Miami Beach Commission has officially approved a marketing deal with Rockstar Games to promote Grand Theft Auto VI. The voting among commissioners came down to 4-3 in favor of the agreement after a surprisingly heated debate surrounding the game’s violence and content, which took place on September 10, 2026.
Rockstar’s GTA 6 Marketing Proposal Approved by Miami Beach, Starts October 15
According to the deal, Rockstar is expected to spend around $3 million on the GTA 6 campaign, which will run from October 15 all the way through December 31.
The final proposal is a bit restrained if you compare it with the original submitted document, as the promotion will primarily use “VI” and “Vice City” branding on privately operated beach equipment like chairs and umbrellas rather than placing GTA 6 ads across city-owned landmarks like lifeguard stands and such.
The narrow vote came after Miami Beach commissioners spent over 30 minutes debating whether Miami Beach should link itself to Rockstar’s crime-focused video game franchise.
Commissioner David Suarez, who was particularly critical of the proposal, literally pulled up footage from the GTA 6 extended look and pointed to scenes depicting violence against police officers and criminal activities.
“A Miami Beach police car just rolled over, and here’s another one, getting away with an AR-15 shooting as they’re fleeing,” said Suarez. “I certainly don’t want to see our brand associated with this video game.”
However, there’s another side to the coin where Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas took an opposite stance and described herself as a GTA player. She argued that the deal could benefit the city while acknowledging the concerns surrounding the content GTA 6 has, including violence in Rockstar’s video games.
“This is a win for gamers and gaming nerds, such as myself,” Matteo-Salinas said while stating her argument in favor of Rockstar. She also defended the distinction between enjoying a fictional video game and endorsing its criminal activities that can get you a GTA 6-type wanted level, adding, “I am a law-abiding citizen… but I do like playing this game.”
The proposal was ultimately passed 4-3, allowing Miami Beach to move forward with negotiations with Rockstar Games and Take-Two for the GTA 6 marketing campaign. You can check out the full City Commission Meeting on Miami Beach TV’s YouTube Channel.
The deal comes amid broader discussions over Rockstar’s plans to promote GTA 6 across Miami-Dade County. There have been some obstacles to bringing that deal to fruition as well, since Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz previously criticized the collaboration, saying GTA games are built around “criminal activity” and include murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, and violence against law enforcement bodies.
Despite the backlash, Miami Beach has now given Rockstar the green light for the GTA 6 marketing campaign to proceed. While the game may not be out yet, it’s still causing controversy and some trouble in Vice City already.
