Rockstar Games and the Miami Heat have organized an exclusive team rebranding event titled “A Night in Vice City” for November 18, 2026, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, scheduled just hours before Grand Theft Auto VI unlocks on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The promotional partnership places the NBA franchise directly into the aesthetic universe of the upcoming video game.
The Miami Heat Trade Their Identity For Vice City
The basketball franchise will abandon its traditional name and jerseys for a single night when hosting the Milwaukee Bucks. The team will compete as “Vice City” during the nationally televised matchup. The fixture brings the marketing campaign directly into the league, with the Kaseya Center already displaying branding of the fictional city on the stadium. Players will perform on a custom, never-before-seen hardwood court designed specifically to reflect the game’s setting. The Miami Heat described the collaboration as “A historic partnership” and stated: One court, one night only: The HEAT play on special hardwood built for Vice City
. The fixture will be broadcast on national television via ESPN, and the franchise informed fans that there will be special activities starting from Opening Night alongside unique game night activations during the November 18 fixture.
Commercial Collections and Expanded Merchandise Lines
The collaboration extends far beyond the basketball floor into a broad retail rollout. These items are separate from Rockstar’s standalone physical collection box priced at $399.99, which does not include a copy of the software. Rockstar Games and the Miami Heat expanded the promotion with a collection of 14 apparel items and accessories from Vice City, with prices ranging from US$45 to US$110. The official team store gathers items from Court Culture alongside collaborations with Duvin and New Era, featuring t-shirts priced at US$45 or US$55, caps costing US$48 or US$50, a hoodie priced at US$100, and a crewneck sweatshirt priced at US$110.
Precedents and Unanswered Campaign Questions
While minor developmental league affiliates have occasionally altered their identities for promotional video game crossovers, an adjustment of this scale in a top-tier professional league remains unprecedented. There is a previous G-League instance where the Cleveland Charge temporarily became the Cleveland Melonheads. However, neither Rockstar Games nor team executives have clarified whether the specialized court layout or the newly designed team uniforms will ever be made available outside of this single night.
