US Army Soldiers Offered Four Days Off To Play GTA 6 As Reenlistment Incentive

Ahead of the highly anticipated November release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA VI), the US Army is using the opportunity to reenlist soldiers for longer durations. The 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, has offered active-duty soldiers a four-day pass to play GTA 6 when it is released on November 19. The special pass is available to any soldier who signs the reenlistment contract between Aug 1 and Nov 14.

The purpose of the incentive programme is to promote retention, boost morale, and reward the continued dedication of soldiers within the battalion. Of the eligible 130 soldiers in Fort Stewart's 9th Brigade Engineering Battalion, 20 have already opted for the GTA 6 perk and reenlisted with the Army.

"The battalion has a new career counselor who approached unit leadership with an idea for an updated creative incentives program to reach FY27 reenlistment goals. Eligible Soldiers must reenlist for a minimum of two years, up to six years," Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, was quoted as saying by The Hill.

"We want to retain the best talent and it's a credit to the creativity of the career counselor within the organization to develop this unique opportunity surrounding the launch of this popular video game," Tomko said.

The exact date of the four-day pass will be coordinated between the soldier and their chain of command, aligning with the official release date of the game.

Previous Instance

In June, Southern California-based car parts manufacturer, Burger Motorsports, announced that it had instituted a one-day pause in its services on Nov 19 to accommodate an unprecedented volume of employee leave requests tied to the video game's release.

The company said normal services would resume once the employees had completed the initial exploration or at least finished one mission.

"Normal business operations are expected to resume once employees have completed their initial exploration, finished at least one mission, and returned to reality. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this unprecedented cultural event."

Also Read | Gen Z Employee Earning Rs 1 Lakh Monthly Depressed By Inflated Real Estate Prices: 'System Is Making Mockery'

GTA 6 Release

GTA 6 arrives more than 13 years after GTA V, the second-best-selling video game of all time. According to the two trailers released so far, Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval will be the primary characters of GTA VI, inspired by notorious American criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

GTA 6 preorders went live in June, with the base game priced at $80 while the "Ultimate" edition costing $100. The GTA 6 extended look, potentially showcasing new gameplay, will premiere globally on Netflix on August 27 at 3 PM Eastern Time (ET). For viewers in India, the premiere will stream early Friday morning, August 28, at 12:30 AM IST.