Topline
A U.S. Army unit in Georgia is offering a four-day pass to play “Grand Theft Auto VI” upon its release as an incentive for troops to reenlist, which a spokesperson called a “unique opportunity” as it looks to capitalize off the video game’s unprecedented hype ahead of its November release.
GTA VI releases in November.
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
The Army’s 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering the incentive, with soldiers who reenlist between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14 receiving a four-day pass to coincide with the release of GTA VI, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, confirmed to Forbes in an email.
Twenty soldiers at Fort Stewart have accepted the incentive as part of their reenlistment, Tomko said, noting 130 soldiers are currently eligible for the incentive.
Eligible soldiers are required to reenlist for a minimum of two years.
Reports about the incentive came after an internal Army memo was circulated on social media, showing the terms of the deal which noted the exact dates of the four-day pass would be coordinated between soldiers and their chain of command.
“Grand Theft Auto VI” releases Nov. 19, with the first look at its gameplay and features coming later this month through a special stream on Netflix.
Crucial Quote
“Reenlistment incentives are routine for the U.S. Army to reward our Soldiers,” Tomko added. “We want to retain the best talent and it’s a credit to the creativity of the career counselor within the organization to develop this unique opportunity surrounding the launch of this popular video game.”
Big Number
$5.2 billion. That is how much money GTA VI is expected to make in sales by the end of launch week, according to IGN, which cited analytics firm Newzoo. The video game has made an estimated $260 million in the first week of pre-orders—an astounding number made more stark by the fact no official gameplay has been released.
Key Background
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said in an earnings call this month pre-orders for the video game got off to an “exceptional start,” noting more players pre-ordered GTA VI’s $100 ultimate edition than the standard $80 version. However, Zelnick added the promising numbers are so large, Take-Two is unsure how they will translate to final sales, saying, “we just don’t believe in claiming victory before it occurs.” Players have waited well over a decade for the next “Grand Theft Auto” installment after purchasing a whopping 230 million copies of “Grand Theft Auto V.” The newest entry in the franchise has years of hype behind it, with players expecting high-level gameplay mechanics, open-world details and storytelling from Rockstar Games, which has developed a reputation as one of the most, if not the single most, prestigious studios in gaming.