Media Innovation

To achieve this, the brand decided to embark on infrequent game releases while working hard to build audience anticipation to extreme highs so that every launch is transformed into cultural event.  

From the start Rockstar Games has always embraced user generated content, creating strong connections between the brand and its audience. Over time, this UGC has broken into meme culture expanding the cultural reach of its games to young adult non-gamers. Rockstar Games heavily cultivates this organic reach across gaming forums and social media for the release of its games with strategic drops of gameplay, designs and what players can expect. 

To begin building anticipation for the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, in 2023 the company released its first trailer on YouTube, reaching over 90 million views in 24 hours and becoming one of the highest viewed videos on YouTube for a non-music video. It supported the trailers release with OOH in high-impact locations across the world such as Times Square, Shibuya Crossing and Piccadilly Circus.  

With the game set to launch in May 2026, earlier this month anticipation was further heightened with the drop of a second teaser trailer. In less than a month, the trailer has garnered 3.7m views on TikTok, 113m views on YouTube and 117m views on Twitter. Fan excitement has peaked again, with many sharing memes about their eager anticipation and preparation for the release across social media platform and forums, strengthening the community bond and continuing to increase the organic visibility of GTA VI and Rockstar Games.