Vacation to play GTA 6: The offer from a US unit to its soldiers

A US Army unit is offering its soldiers an unusual incentive in exchange for extending their service: a four-day vacation in honor of the launch of the game GTA 6, as reported by CBS, citing American sources. The US military views the gaming population as an important pool of potential recruits.

The anticipation for the game has been ongoing for over a decade, since the last title in the series, GTA V, was released in 2013. The launch of the new game has been delayed several times, and in the most recent instance, Rockstar stated:

"We apologize for adding time to a wait that we know is already long, but the extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve."

The game's plot is expected to take place in a fictional city based on Miami, and the main character will be a woman, for the first time in one of the most important video game series in history.

The incentive was offered to soldiers of the 9th Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart in Georgia. According to the Army's announcement, 20 soldiers have already chosen it as part of their service extension. About 130 soldiers are eligible for the benefit, and the condition is a service extension of at least two years and up to six years.

"The idea was to create a unique incentive program that connects to things that interest the soldiers," said 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson Angel Tomko. "The command team, along with the career counselor, wanted the soldiers to be excited about extending their service."

Reaching out to the gaming community is a common practice in the US military. In 2018, the Army missed its recruitment goal for the first time in over a decade, and has since been forced to expand its efforts to fill the ranks. According to CBS, recruiters were sent to gaming conventions, and the Army established its own esports team around games like Call of Duty, Fortnite, and League of Legends.

In 2019, General Frank Muth, who was then head of the Recruiting Command, said there is an overlap between a gamer's skills and what the military is looking for:

"It's decision-making, it's the ability to take in a lot of information quickly and make a decision. It's teamwork."