Rockstar Games is ready to unleash an even longer trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, providing a deeper look at the much-anticipated game before its November release. But this time, the company is premiering the video exclusively on Netflix.
As PCMag reports, when Rockstar announced the trailer, titled “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look,” gamers quickly noticed the video will first be released on Netflix on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. EST. It will then hit YouTube six hours later at 9 p.m. Netflix does not have a free tier or trial period, so you’ll need to pay at least $8.99 to be among the first to watch.
It’s a curious decision that suggests Netflix is using the trailer’s short exclusivity window to entice sign-ups from die-hard fans. Previously, the two companies partnered to bring the original GTA titles and the studio’s other classic title, Red Dead Redemption, to Netflix as mobile games.
Still, the decision is sparking some criticism from gamers. “Please don’t subscribe to Netflix for this, y’all. Not worth it at all. Huge money grab from them and Rockstar,” wrote one Reddit user. Another user conceded: “Rockstar must have got a fat check for that 6 hour pay wall.”
The exclusivity window is so short that many gamers may not even care. “It’s not going to make me sign up to Netflix, though. I’ll just forget about it and watch the next day,” wrote one user on Reddit.
Rockstar Games didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But Netflix says it’s honored to be partnering with the studio to debut the trailer to Netflix members first. In a post, the streaming service called the deal a “first-of-its-kind partnership.” Netflix VP Brandon Riegg stated, “It’s a reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience.”
In a bit of irony, Rockstar Games published a 25-second teaser for the extended look trailer on YouTube. In response, one user wrote: “A trailer for a trailer is crazy work, Rockstar.”
GTA 6 will finally release on Nov. 19; preorders went live in June for PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S. The standard edition costs $79.99. A PC launch hasn’t been announced.
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