Today is the day. For those of you excited about the release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI this November, today is when Netflix will stream the highly anticipated 'extended look' trailer (with exclusivity for a few hours) until the worldwide release later tonight. Presumably, the footage will provide a deeper dive into the game's story while also offering a solid overview of the gameplay, any new mechanics to keep in mind, and an early, earnest foray into the sprawling fictional state of Leonida. Of course, some of you may have already seen some snippets of the game through recent unintended gameplay leaks, which developer Rockstar Games addressed in a statement on Wednesday.
Wait, sorry, I realize I glossed over something really quickly.
You're probably wondering why Netflix has not only exclusive access to the new trailer for the most hyped video game of the calendar year but also why said access is only for a few hours before the trailer gets disseminated all over the internet.
Well, dearest readers, it's most likely a money thing. While unclear exactly how much Netflix paid publisher Take-Two for exclusive access to its mega video game for just a few hours until Thursday night, it's probably a rather princely sum given the hype machine behind Grand Theft Auto VI. The mere fact that the exclusivity doesn't even last all that long is telling as to how much it took Take-Two to budge even on this timed window. Netflix likely made the calculation that the publicity of a few hours of exclusivity would still be worth it to their bottom line and growth strategy, and, you know, here we are.
The trailer will eventually be released everywhere on Thursday night, but Netflix is taking all of this as a win anyway, using it to funnel the video gaming world through its streaming platform conduit.
When will the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer be released after its Netflix window?
The trailer will be posted to Rockstar Games' official YouTube channel as well as the official website for the game at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why is new ‘GTA 6’ trailer exclusive to Netflix for just a few hours?
