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Streaming giant Netflix has apparently paid an eye-watering amount to exclusively showcase GTA 6’s ‘extended look’ trailer for only six hours. Why has it coughed up so much cash for seemingly so little?
Rockstar’s GTA 6 is the most anticipated video game of all time, with experts predicting it could make $3-5 billion USD in its first week alone.
Despite immeasurable levels of hype, the marketing rollout has been minimal, at least thus far. At the time of writing, only two cinematic trailers have been released, neither of which offers any raw gameplay. Pre-orders are available for both the standard and ultimate editions, costing £70 and £90 respectively, with no physical disc release on the horizon. Unsurprisingly, controversy has been rife.
A few days ago, Rockstar announced an ‘extended look’ at GTA 6 on the 27th August exclusively via Netflix… for six hours.
Yes, that’s right: the streaming giant is reportedly paying big bucks to effectively paywall Rockstar’s latest video game advertisement for all of an afternoon. That’s not even considering the inevitable reupload that will be posted all over forums such as Reddit moments after initial release. Is it a bit nonsensical? Yes. Does it seem a bit redundant given the virality of internet content? Also yes.
On paper, the deal is a bit ludicrous.
Some outlets are suggesting that Netflix has coughed up to roughly $100 million USD for those six hours, an eye-watering amount considering the small window of exclusivity being offered. It’s unlikely to be enough to sway potential customers into purchasing a Netflix subscription, particularly as prices spiral ever upwards and the user experience becomes increasingly restricted.
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Yet, that’s unlikely to be Netflix’s main motivator. By associating itself with GTA 6, the streaming platform has entangled itself with one of the largest media properties ever. That’s got to be worth something, right? Brand exposure is invaluable, baby.
The company has been venturing into the gaming sphere over the past few years, albeit steadily and cautiously (and with mixed results). It offers access to many gaming titles, including older GTA installments, through its standard subscription model.
