On September 10, Miami Beach commissioners devoted an unusual amount of time to Grand Theft Auto 6. Rockstar Games has been seeking the city and the larger county for deals worth millions, with the studio hoping to use signs, beach umbrellas, and other local scenery to promote its upcoming game. The proposal was approved by a vote of 4-3.
Suarez Argues Against GTA
During the meeting, David Suarez displayed clips from GTA 5 and the recently released extended look at GTA 6, using them to argue that the game contradicted the values Miami Beach was already investing heavily to promote. He held a laptop up for all to see, then pointed to a scene where a police car rolls over, followed by another escaping while shooting an AR-15.
“A Miami Beach police car just rolled over, and here’s another one, getting away with an AR-15 shooting as they’re fleeing,” he said. “Again, I just, this is, I don’t know, I certainly don’t want to see our brand associated with this video game, I don’t think it’s worth any amount of money.”
Matteo-Salinas Defends the Game
GTA is a game that Monica Matteo-Salinas enjoys, and she made that clear by posting a video of herself wearing her headset. She even went so far as to admit she did not record herself actually playing it, but that did not diminish her support for the motion.
“This is a win for gamers and gaming nerds such as myself,” she said. “I sent a video of me with my nerdy headset on playing this, I didn’t really, but I do play this game, and I do have a nerdy headset, and so, you know, all my video game friends unite to play this game…I understand and respect the concerns, okay, but I am a law abiding citizen, I don’t waterboard, I don’t even own a gun, I never have, but I do like playing this game…”
The Vote and the Video
Four people had already signed up behind the idea before any talk took place. Once it did, no one doubted how it would turn out. The goal is simple: give the city manager power to bargain an arrangement on behalf of the city, and aim for the largest possible sum for the signs.
Mayor Steven Meiner said that typically agreements and RFPs (requests for proposal) are sent to the commission for final review before being signed off on. That step was missing here. Questions have also come up over whether a lobbyist may have been behind the push to get the proposal fast-tracked through the commission.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff, Rosie Cordero-Stutz, blasted the collaboration. “Grand Theft Auto is a video game franchise built around criminal activity,” she said last month. “Its fictional world includes murder, robbery, drug trafficking, carjacking, violence against law enforcement, and other conduct that the men and women of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office work every single day to prevent.”
Below is the full debate, and you can start watching it at around 7:19:00.
Key Facts Box
- Date: September 10
- Vote: Passed 4-3
- Miami-Dade Sheriff: Rosie Cordero-Stutz
- Video start time: Around 7:19:00
The Miami Beach marketing stunt is still expected from Rockstar, despite ongoing county-wide talks about a distinct yet connected advertising arrangement.
Source: kotaku.com
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