GTA 6 Miami takeover: the Heat become Vice City on November 18 and Burger Shot opens for real
The Miami Heat play as Vice City on November 18, the eve of GTA 6, while Burger Shot, Cluckin' Bell and in-game ads have appeared around real Miami
With less than four weeks to go until Grand Theft Auto VI, Rockstar's marketing has left the screen and moved into the city that inspired Vice City. The Miami HEAT will play one home game as Vice City on November 18, the night before launch, and this week fans found GTA restaurants, fictional brand ads and branded cars across real Miami.13 Here is what is officially confirmed, what has only been spotted, and what it means if you are in Florida for launch week.
A Night in Vice City: the confirmed details
The HEAT's own event page calls it a first-of-its-kind partnership: the team plays as Vice City at Kaseya Center on November 18, 2026, with tip-off at 7:00 PM Eastern.1 The club says it will use a one-off Vice City Court, hardwood built for that single game, and wear a completely new uniform that gets its own reveal later.1 Tickets are already on sale through the same page.1
The announcement came on October 2, and coverage at the time named the Milwaukee Bucks as the visiting team, with the game carried nationally on ESPN and locally by Local 10 in South Florida.2 A large Welcome to Vice City sign was also mounted on the arena roof around the same time.2 The HEAT store sells a Court Culture Vice City apparel line now, with tees from $45 to $55 listed on the official page.1
Get GTA 6 news like this the moment it breaks.
The big moments by text, always with sources. Free, reply STOP any time.
What fans found around Miami this week
The basketball game turned out to be only one piece. On October 22, Video Games Chronicle gathered sightings showing that two of the series' best known fast food chains, Burger Shot and Cluckin' Bell, now run food stands inside Kaseya Center.3 The Burger Shot is reportedly a rebranded stand of a local burger chain, with staff in GTA VI uniforms.3
- Ads for in-game brands such as Weazel News, the radio station Chamber 106.6, Fruit, Coil, eCola, Y Hotel and Vault Nightclub on digital displays, buses and taxis.3
- Pink and blue Vice City umbrellas and loungers on Miami Beach, plus a branded blimp and boat billboards over the water.3
- Sports cars with Vice City plates, including a wrapped Coquette and a car in Vice Beach Police livery.3
- Posters for the fictional beers Pisswasser and Patriot outside bars, and label filings by a Florida brewery that suggest real versions are coming.3
These sightings come from photos shared by fans and collected by VGC, not from a Rockstar announcement, so the exact list may change.3 The beer filings in particular point to a product, not a confirmed launch date or price.3
Why Miami, and why now
Vice City is Rockstar's version of Miami and one of the main locations in the fictional state of Leonida, so the city is the natural stage for a real-world campaign.2 The timing also lines up with the rest of the run-up: the launch trailer arrived on October 15 and Rockstar repeated the November 19, 2026 date for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.4 Placing the HEAT event on November 18 makes it a de facto launch eve party in the game's home city.14
What this means for players
Nothing about the game itself changes. The release date, platforms and editions are the same as before.4 If you live in or near Miami, the arena stands and beach setups are the easiest way to see the campaign in person before launch, and the November 18 game is the one ticketed event so far.13 Everyone else can watch the game on ESPN that evening, just hours before launch day on November 19.24
Frequently asked questions
When is the Miami HEAT Vice City game?
November 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM Eastern at Kaseya Center, one day before GTA 6 launches.1
Who do the HEAT play on Vice City night?
The Milwaukee Bucks, according to coverage of the October 2 announcement, with a national broadcast on ESPN.2
Can you really buy Burger Shot food in Miami?
Yes. Burger Shot and Cluckin' Bell stands have been spotted inside Kaseya Center, the HEAT's arena.3
Will the HEAT wear a special GTA 6 uniform?
Yes. The team says it will wear a completely new uniform for the night, with a separate reveal still to come.1
Sources
Every fact on this page links to where we found it. We write in our own words and never copy Rockstar's text or artwork. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it against the sources.
Get GTA 6 news like this the moment it breaks.
The big moments by text, always with sources. Free, reply STOP any time.