A special incentive is being offered by a U.S. army unit to encourage soldiers to extend their service by providing them with four additional days off coinciding with the launch of the highly anticipated video game, Grand Theft Auto VI. The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, located at Fort Stewart, Ga., believes that granting soldiers leisure time to enjoy the latest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series will influence some individuals to re-enlist.
The 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 specific pre-order sales figures but the CEO, Strauss Zelnick, 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 proposed the concept of linking a retention benefit to the launch of the game to help soldiers remember their upcoming re-enlistment deadlines. The aim was to create a distinctive rewards program that aligns with soldiers’ interests.
In a memo circulated to soldiers, the battalion commanders announced that those who renew their contracts by November 14 would be granted a “special four-day pass” designed to coincide with the Grand Theft Auto VI release. Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson, the battalion commander, emphasized the connection between the bonus and the highly awaited game.
Tomko verified the validity of the memo dated July 28, which was shared online after being photographed. Reportedly, 20 out of 130 eligible soldiers have already opted in for the bonus offer, committing to at least two more years of service.
Excitement surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI has been mounting since 2023 when the initial cinematic trailer teased a return to the fictional Vice City, a satirical representation of Miami, and an extended range of Florida-based settings including alligator-filled swamps. Rockstar Games, the developer, plans to unveil gameplay footage through an extended trailer on Netflix, following an online leak of apparent game footage by hackers.