A U.S. military unit is incentivizing its personnel with an appealing offer to encourage re-enlistment: granting four additional days off coinciding with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in November.
Leaders of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, believe that providing leisure time for soldiers to enjoy the new installment of the Grand Theft Auto video game series, known for its car thefts, police confrontations, and daring heists, will persuade some troops to prolong their military service.
The upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19 is anticipated to be a major entertainment event of the year. Take-Two Interactive, the game publisher, has not disclosed pre-order sales figures but its CEO, Strauss Zelnick, described them as “unprecedented and astonishing.”
A career counselor within the army engineer battalion collaborated with commanders to link a retention incentive to the game’s launch. Lieutenant Colonel Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for Fort Stewart, mentioned that the objective was to create a unique rewards program aligned with soldiers’ interests.
According to a memo from battalion commanders, soldiers who re-enlist by November 14 will be granted “a special four-day pass” to coincide with the highly awaited release of Grand Theft Auto VI, as stated by battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Hodgson.
Confirming the legitimacy of the memo dated July 28, Tomko revealed that approximately 20 out of 130 eligible soldiers have already enrolled for the bonus offer, requiring a commitment to serve a minimum of two more years in uniform.
Anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI has been mounting since 2023 when its initial cinematic trailer hinted at a return to the fictional Vice City, a parody of Miami, and an expanded range of Florida-based settings, including alligator-infested swamplands.
Amid the excitement, Rockstar Games, the developer, plans to unveil gameplay footage next week in an extended trailer on Netflix. This reveal was expedited after hackers leaked potential footage online earlier this week.