A special incentive is being offered by a U.S. army unit to encourage its soldiers to re-enlist promptly: four additional days off coinciding with the launch of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Leaders of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga., believe that providing extra leisure time for troops to experience the latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, known for its car thefts, police battles, and daring heists, will influence some servicemen to extend their military service.
The highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19 is anticipated to be one of the year’s major entertainment events. Although specific pre-order sales figures have not been disclosed by game publisher Take-Two Interactive, CEO Strauss Zelnick has described them as “unprecedented and astonishing.”
According to Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for Fort Stewart, a career counselor within the army engineer battalion collaborated with commanders to link a retention benefit to the launch of the game, aiming to remind soldiers of their upcoming re-enlistment deadlines. Tomko stated to The Associated Press on Thursday that the intention was to create a unique incentives program tailored to soldiers’ interests.
In a memo to soldiers, battalion commanders declared that individuals who sign re-enlistment agreements before November 14 would be granted “a special four-day leave.” The memo, dated July 28 and verified by Tomko, specified that this leave was purposely aligned with the highly awaited debut of Grand Theft Auto VI.
Approximately 20 out of 130 eligible soldiers have taken advantage of the bonus offer by committing to serve at least two additional years in the military. The excitement surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI has been mounting since 2023, particularly after the release of its initial cinematic trailer showcasing a revisit to the fictional Vice City, a Miami-inspired setting, and an expanded array of Florida-based environments, including alligator-filled swamps.
Rockstar Games, the developer behind the game, plans to unveil a gameplay video next week in an extended trailer on Netflix, following leaked footage that emerged online earlier this week, preempting the planned rollout.