GTA 6's first TV ad airs during NBA opener, minus two shower shots

Grand Theft Auto 6's first television commercial aired on October 20, 2026, during the NBA's opening night, according to Kotaku. The spot is an edited version of the game's recently released launch trailer, with two of its three shower scenes removed.

What we know

Kotaku reports that viewers on social media spotted the ad during the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers game. Others said they saw the same ad, or something close to it, during the Pistons/Celtics and Thunder/Spurs games that night.

The main difference from the launch trailer is what was left out. The first shower scene survives, but the other two are gone. Kotaku notes the irony: the ad keeps the guns, explosions and robberies, and drops a few frames of shower footage.

A fan account, GTA 6 Countdown, posted a list of other changes it spotted in a version it said aired on NBC Sports:

• Removing the shower shots left some other shots running slightly longer
• A longer shot of Lucia leaping from a truck onto a plane's landing gear
• A longer shot of Jason and Lucia, including a few extra frames after Jason playfully punches her arm
• The Xbox logo removed entirely

Kotaku says the extra footage doesn't reveal anything new. The outlet also reports that some viewers said seeing the trailer on their living room TV during a major game made the release feel real. One said a proper TV spot during a big game "makes it feel real now."

Grand Theft Auto 6 releases on November 19.

What isn't confirmed yet

• The fan account says the Xbox logo was dropped because of a marketing deal with PlayStation. That explanation has not been confirmed by Rockstar.
• Kotaku suspects the same ad will run during an upcoming Miami Heat game that GTA 6 is sponsoring, which will include special uniforms. Whether the ad airs there is the outlet's guess, not an announced plan.
• The source does not include any comment from Rockstar about the edits.