The City of Miami Beach has voted 4-3 to approve negotiations with Rockstar Games over a real-life marketing campaign for Grand Theft Auto 6, despite strong objections from some commissioners over the game's violent content. The decision matters because it pits the substantial financial benefits offered by Rockstar against concerns about a city government formally endorsing a franchise built around depicting criminal activity, a tension that has drawn public criticism even from local law enforcement.

Under the deal, Rockstar is expected to pay around $3m, though officials hope to negotiate this closer to $4m in benefits, which could help fund an unfunded renovation of the Flamingo football field. Branding will appear only "discreetly", via Boucher Brothers beach chairs and umbrellas marked with "VI" or "Vice City" rather than the full game name, running from 15th October to the end of the year, excluding the Art Basel event in December and any city property such as landmarks or lifeguard stands. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz publicly criticised the plan, while separate reports suggest Rockstar is also nearing a deal to display a large GTA6 sign on Miami's Kaseya Center.