Four days off to play Grand Theft Auto 6. That’s the pitch, and at least 20 soldiers have already taken it.
The offer comes out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, where the 3rd Infantry Division’s 9th Brigade Engineering Battalion started dangling launch-week leave in front of anyone willing to sign back on. A flyer laying out the terms, signed by commanding officer Lt. Col. Ryan D. Hodgson, made its way online earlier this week. Twenty soldiers have chosen to reenlist since the deal was presented, according to CBS News.
The Army is now competing with Rockstar for your attention
“The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what soldiers are interested in,” 3rd Infantry Division Lt. Col. Angel Tomko said in a statement. “The command team, in conjunction with the career counselor, wanted to get soldiers excited to reenlist.”
Which is a diplomatic way of saying somebody in the chain of command noticed what everyone in the barracks is going to be doing in November anyway.
About 130 soldiers are eligible. The commitment isn’t small: a reenlistment period of at least two years, stretching as long as six. In exchange, four days off for the new Grand Theft Auto. The window to sign runs until November 14, 2026, which lands neatly ahead of the game’s November 19 launch.
Meanwhile, the leaks won’t stop
While Fort Stewart weighs the math on all this, thousands of people online are busy with something else entirely. What appeared to be early footage surfaced August 18. It started small. Recent updates have seemingly shown more and more of the game.
Take-Two is doing its best to track down whoever’s responsible.
Rockstar’s real reveal is next week
None of the leaking has derailed the plan. Rockstar is still hosting its first-look Netflix reveal next Thursday, August 27, and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has teased that the showcase will be more than a simple sneak peek.
Despite a few rumors to the contrary, GTA 6 is still on track for its November release date.
Somewhere in Georgia, 20 people have already blocked out the week.
