The official release of “Grand Theft Auto VI” is officially one week away, and some gamers have waited over a decade for that day to come.
Thirteen years in the making, now GTA VI is just six days away from its global launch.
“I’ve been waiting for this for years, man,” said Tay Perkins. “I remember when ‘GTA V’ came out, and I thought that it was the biggest thing. I was in middle school, so when GTA V came out, I first got it on Xbox 360. Now ‘GTA VI’ is coming out, I’m just stoked, man.”
In South Florida, fans can’t wait any longer, including those at gaming lounges who are prepared for anything.
“There’s a lot of hype, a lot of buzz around ‘GTA VI,’ so we have a bunch of consoles set up around the venue,” said ROK Gaming Lounge owner, Cody Dierickx.
“We work at a gaming lounge, so we’re gonna be playing right here,” said an employee at ROK.
The game takes place in “Vice City,” which is directly inspired by Miami, and if the trailers and gameplay have shown anything, these fans said, the game is shaping up to be extraordinary.
“We’ve all been waiting a number of years, and we obviously spend decades since the last ‘GTA.’ I think here in Miami, especially being here, excited a lot,” said David Echeverria.
“Coming here to Miami, you know Vice City, this is where it all happens. Miami is one of those cities that y’all got everything here,” said Perkins.
Millions of copies are expected to be sold at release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles.
“My customers have been asking me if I’m taking the day off, if we’re closing for the day, but I let them know, ‘Yo, we’re a gaming lounge, I’m gonna be here gaming the day it comes out,” said Dierickx.
The game’s release has caused a large amount of people across the U.S. to use their sick days and paid time off on launch day.
“I’m self-employed, but I definitely told my clients there won’t be meetings that day, so I’ll be enjoying myself with the game,” said Echeverria.
“I’m probably gonna have the whole week off. I won’t lie to you, I’m planning that whole week off,” said Perkins.
With years of anticipation, it’s no surprise how fans are treating this impending release.
“I’m pretty excited. It’s gonna be revolutionary for gaming. It’s gonna have a lot more mods, a lot more possibilities,” said a fan.
“There’s not a better place, being in Miami this week — I’m from Kentucky — we’re definitely seeing the way that the ‘GTA’ vibe is,” said Echeverria.
While the game officially launches Nov. 19, South Florida has been buzzing for weeks now, as parts of Miami-Dade, including Miami International Airport, can be seen already decked out in Vice City colors.
