Brands’ interest in “Grand Theft Auto” is mounting — but questions about brand safety remain

As the release of “Grand Theft Auto VI” grows closer, brands’ interest in the game is increasing, even if the specifics of its marketing opportunities remain unclear.

In recent years, video games such as “Roblox” and “Fortnite” have evolved into creator platforms — and, accordingly, have welcomed brands and advertisers to play inside them. “Grand Theft Auto” has remained intentionally devoid of real-life brands since its release in 1997. But Digiday recently reported that “GTA” developer Rockstar Games is pursuing a user-generated content approach for the upcoming release of “GTA 6” later this year, which has renewed marketers’ interest in the series.

With “GTA 6” on the horizon, brands’ inquiries about the game have steadily increased, according to five agency executives who spoke to Digiday for this article. (Rockstar Games representatives did not respond to requests for comment.)

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