WWE Drops 'Vice City' Trademark Ahead of GTA 6 Release

WWE recently made an attempt to secure the trademark for 'Vice City,' but the effort has since been abandoned. A trademark application was filed on August 8, but the status changed to 'dead' just over a month later, on September 21. It appears WWE was not planning to develop a Grand Theft Auto game of its own. Rather, it likely aimed to create a branding opportunity related to Lola Vice, a wrestler who has recently joined the main roster. This assumption is supported by her ring name and her roots in Miami, Florida, which serves as the inspiration for the fictional Vice City in the GTA universe. While the exact reasons for WWE's withdrawal from the trademark application remain unclear, it can be speculated that Rockstar Games, which has owned the 'Vice City' name for over twenty years, may not have welcomed a competing claim. The original Vice City, a classic for the PS2, is also the backdrop for the forthcoming GTA 6. It's reasonable to think that Triple H and his team were aware of the potential pushback yet decided to pursue the trademark anyway. Rockstar's commitment to reminding the public of this franchise can be seen in Miami, where nearly $1 million has been allocated for 'Welcome to Vice City' signage. Interestingly, backyard wrestling is among the numerous activities players can expect in GTA 6, with a reference to John Cena's signature move, the Attitude Adjustment, appearing in a recent gameplay preview. Players can find a detailed look at this and 99 other elements highlighted in the first gameplay reveal. Scheduled for release on November 19, GTA 6 is anticipated to have a significant impact across various sectors, including sports and entertainment. NBA player Steven Adams has even suggested that the game's launch could lead to a noticeable decline in performance among basketball players and coaches. This week has been particularly eventful for Rockstar, and it seems that will continue until the release of GTA 6. The studio has removed videos featuring scrapped GTA 5 DLC and an early version of a leaked GTA 6 map, while also detailing its new policy on modding, which has dashed hopes for monetized GTA 6 role-playing servers.