Adrein Palmero, 21, says he’s eager to buy the new Grand Theft Auto game since it’s based in an area resembling Miami called Vice City.
“Especially since I live here, it’s kinda the same vibe as being able to play a video game based on the city you live in,” Palmero said
CBS News Miami has seen some promotion of the game, which involves violence and drug use. Last week, Miami Beach’s city commission approved starting a marketing campaign for the video game, but Commissioner David Suarez voted against it.
“How many years has Miami Beach been trying to move away from the chaos of spring break and Memorial Day, where we had countless shootings and stabbings. And we put millions of dollars toward a marketing campaign to move away from that. And now we’re embracing a marketing campaign that brings that back,” Suarez said.
Suarez played footage of the game during a commission meeting. He says the marketing campaign in Miami Beach doesn’t have enough specifics.
“I have nothing against the game in particular. My <a href="https://comicvibe.com/the-pitt-is-up-for-25-emmys-but-the-shows-biggest-fans-are-real/” title=”The Pitt is up for 25 Emmys – but the show's biggest fans are real”>biggest issue is associating our brand with that multi-billion dollar game,” Suarez said.
In the city of Miami, commissioners voted to allow Grand Theft Auto’s developer, Rockstar Games, to pay for city permits where private entities can put up larger-than-usual banners promoting the game.
Miami City Commissioner Christine King says the banners won’t show anything graphic.
“No City of Miami assets are being used as a promotional tool. No parks, no city administration, no city hall. None of that,” King said.
King said the revenue from the permits will help pay for the Reverend Edward T. Graham Heritage Trail in Overtown. She says the game is coming regardless of what people say, so she says the city should find a way to benefit from it.
“Our commission, our administration, did what we could to mitigate the negative connotation for the City of Miami. We cannot eliminate it. GTA has been in existence for decades,” King said.
In downtown Miami, outside the Kaseya Center, which is owned by the county, was a banner with the word “vice” on it. CBS News Miami reached out to the Miami Heat, asking if this is connected to the game. CBS News Miami is still waiting on a response.
As for the county, a spokesperson for Mayor Daniela Lavine Cava says the mayor hasn’t met with Rockstar about marketing the new game. Some fans say people are overreacting since it’s just a video game.
“It’s just a video game. I don’t think people are going to start doing stuff like that just because they played it in a video game and it happened to be here,” Palmero said.
Suarez says he will look into whether it’s legal for the city to market the game on city property. Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be released on Nov. 19.
