The first television commercial for Grand Theft Auto VI has aired, presenting a modified version of the game's initial launch trailer. The 90-second spot, observed on NBC Sports, notably omits three shower intimacy scenes that were present in the original trailer. These cuts result in slightly extended footage in other sequences, offering mere milliseconds of additional gameplay.
Specific alterations include a longer airplane shot and a marginally extended scene featuring protagonists Lucia and Jason leaning on a car. The commercial also conspicuously avoids mentioning the Xbox platform, despite Grand Theft Auto VI's upcoming release on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. This omission is seen as a continuation of Rockstar Games' marketing partnership with Sony, which has emphasized the PlayStation 5 as the optimal platform for the game. Trailers and extended gameplay demonstrations have exclusively featured PS5 footage, and messaging has frequently highlighted the console's unique features like the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
This marketing strategy, coupled with reports of preorders heavily favoring the PS5, may lead more casual viewers to believe that PlayStation is the sole platform for Grand Theft Auto VI. While Xbox executives have publicly stated satisfaction with the game's preorder performance, aligning with their console market share, the visible marketing efforts from Sony suggest a deliberate push to associate the game predominantly with the PlayStation brand.
Meanwhile, promotional activities for Grand Theft Auto VI continue in Miami, the game's primary setting. Recent weeks have seen the appearance of Burger Shot restaurants within the Kaseya Center and GTA-branded sports cars driving around the city with camera crews, indicating ongoing live-action advertising efforts. The game is set to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S next month.