A United States military unit is providing an incentive to its soldiers to re-enlist by offering them an additional four days off coinciding with the launch of the highly anticipated video game, Grand Theft Auto VI, in November.
The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, believes that granting extra leisure time for soldiers to enjoy the latest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, known for its action-packed gameplay involving car thefts, police confrontations, and daring heists, will influence some troops to extend their military service.
The release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19 is anticipated to be a major entertainment event of the year, with Take-Two Interactive’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, describing pre-order sales figures 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 incentive to the video game’s launch to help soldiers remember their upcoming re-enlistment deadlines.
“We wanted to create a unique rewards program that aligns with soldiers’ interests,” stated Tomko in a press release to The Associated Press.
In a memo to the soldiers, battalion commanders outlined that those who re-sign their contracts by November 14 will be granted “a special four-day pass” designed to coincide with the Grand Theft Auto VI release.
Tomko verified the authenticity of the memo dated July 28, which was shared online after being photographed.
She mentioned that out of 130 eligible soldiers, at least 20 have taken up the offer. To qualify for the bonus, soldiers must commit to serving a minimum of two additional years in the military.
Anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI has been growing since 2023 when the initial cinematic trailer revealed a return to the fictional Vice City, a satirical representation of Miami, along with new Florida-based settings that include swamps filled with alligators.
Highlighting the excitement, Rockstar Games, the developer, plans to showcase gameplay footage in an extended trailer on Netflix next week, following a leak of apparent footage by hackers earlier this week.