Rockstar Games has announced a crossover with the NBA that lands exactly on the eve of launch. In a new YouTube Short titled “A Night in Vice City”, posted on November 9, 2026, Rockstar confirms that the Miami HEAT will “trade Miami for Vice City” when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7 PM Eastern, one day before Grand Theft Auto VI releases on November 19. The game will be broadcast on NBA on ESPN.
This is an official, confirmed partnership: the announcement comes from Rockstar’s own YouTube channel and links directly to the HEAT’s event page, which carries the Grand Theft Auto VI branding alongside the Miami HEAT and ESPN logos.
What Rockstar announced
The video description is short and to the point. On the eve of the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, fans are invited to tune in to the NBA on ESPN on Wednesday, November 18 at 7 PM Eastern to see the HEAT trade Miami for Vice City when they host the Milwaukee Bucks. The accompanying artwork shows a neon pink “Vice City” logo over a basketball court with the matchup billed as “Milwaukee vs Vice City”, the date, the 7 PM EST tip-off and the venue, Kaseya Center.
For readers in Europe: 7 PM Eastern on November 18 is 1:00 AM CET on Thursday, November 19, so the game falls into the night of release day itself.
What the Miami HEAT event page confirms
The HEAT’s official “Welcome to Vice City” page describes the evening as a “historic partnership” and a “never-been-done-before event” in which the HEAT play as Vice City. According to the page, these are the confirmed elements so far:
- Burger Shot and Cluckin’ Bell inside the arena. The two fast-food brands from the Grand Theft Auto universe are listed as open for business at select concessions inside Kaseya Center: Burger Shot in sections 105, 120, 308 and 324, and Cluckin’ Bell in section 325.
- A one-night-only court. The page promises “one court, one night only”: the HEAT will play on special hardwood built for Vice City.
- A “Vice City” uniform. A Nike x Cactus Jack “Vice City” uniform is announced, which according to the page becomes available for purchase on November 18 at A Night in Vice City. The page also offers a sign-up for the uniform drop.
- Vice City apparel. A “Court Culture” Vice City collection is listed as available at the Miami HEAT Store, in person and online.
- More to come. The HEAT say more details will follow, including special activities starting on Opening Night inside Kaseya Center and unique game night activations on November 18.
Tickets for the game are sold through the HEAT page. We are not affiliated with the HEAT or Rockstar and only link to the official sources below.
Why this matters for GTA 6 fans
Vice City is Grand Theft Auto VI’s take on Miami and the heart of the state of Leonida. Seeing a real Miami team play under the Vice City name, with Burger Shot and Cluckin’ Bell served in the stands, is one of the most visible real-world promotions Rockstar has confirmed ahead of launch. It also lines up neatly with the final days of the countdown: the pre-download begins before launch, and the game unlocks on November 19.
What Rockstar has not said: there is no word yet on any in-game tie-in, such as HEAT or Vice City basketball content inside GTA VI itself. Treat any such claims as unconfirmed until Rockstar or the HEAT announce them. The event itself, the date, the opponent, the broadcaster and the arena details above are all confirmed by official sources.
Quick facts
- Event: A Night in Vice City
- Game: Milwaukee Bucks at Miami HEAT, playing as “Vice City”
- Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 7 PM ET (1 AM CET on November 19)
- Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami
- TV: NBA on ESPN
- Extras: Burger Shot and Cluckin’ Bell concessions, special Vice City court, Nike x Cactus Jack “Vice City” uniform
Watch the announcement on Rockstar’s YouTube channel and find all details on the Miami HEAT Vice City page. For everything else ahead of launch, see our GTA 6 release date overview.