‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ isn’t even out yet, but creators are already flocking to Miami

Grand Theft Auto VI won’t hit shelves until November 19, but it might already be the biggest game in the creator sphere. The pre-release hype surrounding Rockstar Games‘ long-awaited blockbuster has inspired numerous campaigns and promotions, and some gamers are setting up shop in the city that inspired GTA VI‘s setting: Miami, Florida.

GTA VI will bring the open-world franchise back to Vice City, the tropical metropolis that was first featured in an iconic 2002 title. Vice City is a lightly fictionalized version of Miami, and South Florida is full of GTA references as November 19 approaches. Rockstar has reportedly spent millions to put GTA-inspired vehicles on the streets of South Beach and sponsor a promotion put on by the Miami Heat.

Creators want a piece of that action, too. That’s why Vanoss is going straight to the source. The gaming crew has 15 years of experience on YouTube, and GTA playthroughs have long been the group’s bread-and-butter. To make sure they don’t miss a minute of the GTA VI hullabaloo, the members of Vanoss are renting a mansion in Miami for two weeks. From that home base, they’ll shoot videos related to the GTA franchise.

Is this phenomenon — which has been dubbed “the Grand Theft Auto 

effect” by GameSquare — getting out of hand? Between the $400 Collector’s Edition boxes and the release-day leave agreements for American troops, the hoopla surrounding GTA VI may show that influencer culture is too weird to be effectively satirized in the upcoming game.

On the other hand, when it comes to buzzy game releases like this one, it’s certainly true that the early bird gets the worm. “It’s almost like a lottery ticket situation, where creators from a lot of different verticals can throw their hat in the ring and be seen and heard across broader communities and audiences that haven’t recognized them before,” said Justin Miclat, the Chief Growth Officer at talent management firm Click Media, in an interview with GamesBeat. “It’s critically important to be part of that initial moment early, so it is that much easier to expand upon that when GTA VI RP goes live.”

The Vanoss crew will be one of the first creator cliques to generate viewership from GTA VI, but they certainly won’t be the last. Twitch boss Dan Clancy expects the GTA hype to continue well into 2027, so Vanoss might need an extension on that rental.