GTA 6's TV Ads Quietly Cut the Shower Scene and the Xbox Logo

Grand Theft Auto 6 is on TV now, and fans have already picked the commercials apart frame by frame. The new TV spots are cut down from the launch trailer Rockstar released on October 15, and they aren't exact copies (GameSpot).

The 30-second version drops the steamy shower scenes with Jason and Lucia. In exchange, it runs a slightly longer airplane shot and a longer moment of the two standing by their car, where Jason playfully nudges Lucia and she nearly topples over. A 90-second version keeps the shower scenes and includes those longer shots too. IGN put together a side-by-side comparison, and GameSpot's Eddie Makuch noted that most viewers probably wouldn't spot the changes (GTA fan accounts, on the other hand, miss nothing).

Why is the Xbox logo missing from the GTA 6 ads?

The TV spots also remove the Xbox logo. GameSpot says that's presumably because of Rockstar's reported marketing deal with Sony, which has been pushing PS5 as the place to play GTA 6. The game is still coming to both consoles. It launches November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, even though the ads only show one of them.

Sony is leaning into that partnership. The PlayStation Store listing says GTA 6 will be "fully optimised for the PlayStation 5 Pro," with haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and Tempest 3D audio support. PlayStation's new Pulse wireless headset also launches the same day, November 19 (GAMINGbible).

How big is the GTA 6 marketing push getting?

Pretty big, and it's spilling into real life. Rockstar's campaign includes real Burger Shot and Cluckin' Bell restaurants where you can order GTA-branded food. GameSpot also points to reports that pre-orders are pacing well ahead of any major game from the last five years. TV commercials are usually a sign that a publisher wants everyone to know a release date, and Rockstar clearly does.

The hype has even reached economists. A viral estimate says GTA 6 sick days could cost the US economy $1 billion, and we looked at why that number probably doesn't hold up.

I'll admit the shorter cut makes sense for TV, and the extra few seconds of Jason and Lucia goofing around are fun to see. Still, it says a lot about this launch that fans are comparing commercials like they're new trailers. Less than four weeks to go.

Catch up on the full GTA 6 launch trailer, or see more gaming news right here.

Header image is an official Grand Theft Auto VI screenshot from Rockstar Games.