GTA 6's first TV ad airs during NBA games with shower scenes cut
GTA 6's launch trailer aired as a TV ad during NBA opening night on October 20, with two shower scenes cut and the Xbox logo reportedly removed.
Reported. Established outlets report this. Rockstar hasn't said so.
Grand Theft Auto 6 made its television debut on October 20. Its first TV commercial ran during NBA opening night, and Kotaku reports that it is basically the launch trailer from the week before with a few edits. The most noticeable one: two of the trailer's three steamy shower moments are gone.
According to Kotaku, viewers spotted the spot during the New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers game. Others said they saw it, or something close to it, during the Pistons vs Celtics and Thunder vs Spurs games the same night. Fan account GTA 6 Info shared a capture of the full commercial from the Knicks game.
What changed from the launch trailer
The first shower shot is still there, Kotaku notes, but the other two were cut, apparently because they went too far for broadcast TV. The irony is hard to miss. Gunfire, explosions and armed robbery made it to air with no trouble. A few frames of legs in a shower did not.
Fans who compared the two versions frame by frame found a few more small differences. Fan account GTA 6 Countdown said the commercial aired on NBC Sports and listed these changes:
- The cut shower shots leave room for some other shots to run a little longer
- A longer shot of the plane
- A longer shot of Jason and Lucia
- The Xbox logo is removed entirely
Kotaku pinned down where the extra footage appears. A few more frames follow the moment Jason playfully punches Lucia's arm, and a few more are added to the scene where Lucia jumps from a truck onto a plane's landing gear. Kotaku points out that none of this shows anything new. It's just a few extra seconds of footage.
GTA 6 Countdown claims the Xbox logo was dropped because of a marketing deal with PlayStation. That reason comes from a fan account, not from Rockstar or Sony, so treat it as unconfirmed for now. The game is still coming to Xbox Series X and S. The logo simply wasn't in this particular ad.
Why a TV spot matters
Rockstar has spent the run-up to launch on big, eye-catching promotions, like the night Miami's E11EVEN club became GTA 6's NINE1NINE. Prime-time sports ads are the next step: they reach people who would never watch a trailer on YouTube.
For fans, it also landed emotionally. Kotaku quoted one viewer who said, "Seeing it on a proper TV spot during a big game makes it feel real now." Another said that seeing the release date on their own living room TV made it clear the game was only weeks away. After years of leaks, reports and delays, that's understandable.
What comes next
Kotaku expected the same ad to air again during an upcoming Miami Heat game. According to the outlet, GTA 6 is sponsoring that game directly, with special uniforms and other tie-ins. Rockstar hasn't said how many other networks or broadcasts will carry the commercial, or whether different cuts are planned for other regions.
The main date hasn't moved. Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19, and if you're planning around that day, our guide to the reported 210 GB download is worth a look before then.
