A special incentive is being offered by a U.S. army unit to encourage troops to re-enlist promptly by granting them four additional days off in conjunction with the upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in November.
The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion commanders at Fort Stewart, Georgia, believe that providing free time for soldiers to enjoy the latest installment of the popular video game series will influence some to prolong their military service. The highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19 is anticipated to be a major entertainment event for the year. While Take-Two Interactive, the game publisher, has not disclosed pre-order sales figures, CEO Strauss Zelnick described them as “unprecedented and astonishing.”
A career counselor at the army engineer battalion proposed the idea of linking a retention benefit to the game’s release to help soldiers remember their upcoming re-enlistment deadlines. According to Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for Fort Stewart, the aim was to create a unique incentives program that aligns with soldiers’ interests.
In a memo to soldiers, battalion commanders outlined that those who sign re-enlistment contracts before November 14 will be rewarded with “a special four-day pass” coinciding with the anticipated debut of Grand Theft Auto VI. The authenticity of the July 28 memo, which was photographed and shared online, was confirmed by Tomko.
It was disclosed that at least 20 out of the 130 eligible soldiers have opted for the bonus offer, with the condition that they commit to serving a minimum of two additional years in uniform. Anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI has been mounting since 2023, particularly after the release of its initial cinematic trailer showcasing a return to the fictional Vice City, a satirical version of Miami, along with expanded Florida-based settings that include alligator-filled swamps.
Adding to the excitement, developer Rockstar Games intends to unveil gameplay footage through an extended trailer on Netflix soon. However, the planned revelation was disrupted when hackers leaked purported footage online earlier this week.
