Norwegian Retailer's Unusual GTA 6 Promotion
In a marketing move that echoes a famous video game industry promotion from over a decade ago, Norwegian electronics retailer Komplett is offering free copies of Grand Theft Auto 6 to parents who have babies born on the game's official launch day. The promotion, announced via Instagram, promises that any Norwegian parent whose child arrives on November 19, 2026—the scheduled release date for Rockstar Games' highly anticipated title—will receive a complimentary copy of what is expected to be one of the year's biggest gaming releases.
The Specifics of the Promotion
Komplett, a major Scandinavian retailer specializing in gaming and PC products, has explicitly stated that their offer is genuine and not a joke. "This is actually not nonsense," reads their Instagram announcement. "GTA 6 is released in nine months and if you have a baby on the launch date, you will get the game for free from us." The retailer appears to have considered potential delays to the game's release, using crossed-fingers emojis in their post while specifying that the offer applies specifically to the "launch date" rather than a fixed calendar date.
Given Norway's relatively small population of approximately 5.5 million people, Komplett likely faces minimal financial risk with this promotion. Even accounting for Norway's birth rate of approximately 10 births per 1,000 people annually, the number of babies born on any single day would represent only a tiny fraction of potential GTA 6 sales. This makes the promotion primarily a clever advertising strategy rather than a significant financial commitment.
Historical Precedent and Practical Considerations
This unusual marketing approach has historical precedent in the gaming industry. In 2011, Bethesda Softworks made a similar offer ahead of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's release, promising free copies of Skyrim and all future Bethesda games for life to parents who had babies on November 11, 2011, and named their child Dovahkiin (the "Dragonborn" protagonist of Skyrim). At least one family reportedly took Bethesda up on this offer and received free games for years afterward.
However, practical considerations have been raised about Komplett's promotion. On social media platforms like Reddit, users have pointed out the irony of offering a time-intensive video game to new parents who will likely have minimal free time during their child's first months. "As someone with children and paid parental leave, let me be the first to say, when you have a newborn, you will not be playing a lot of video games," commented one Reddit user. Another joked that the retailer "should be giving out condoms" instead, since "no one wants to have to take care of a newborn on release day!"
Broader Context and Industry Impact
The promotion comes amid widespread anticipation for GTA 6, which has already experienced two delays according to industry reports. Retailers worldwide are particularly invested in the game's success, especially given rumors that it may carry a premium price tag of £100 or more in some markets. Such pricing could potentially put the game out of reach for some consumers, making Komplett's free offer particularly appealing to eligible Norwegian parents.
While the promotion has generated significant online discussion and media attention, it remains to be seen how many Norwegian families will actually qualify for the free game. With conception needing to occur around February 2026 for a November 19 due date, the window for eligibility is already closing. As one commentator noted, "hopefully you have better reasons for having children than getting a free video game."
The gaming industry continues to employ creative marketing strategies to generate buzz around major releases, with Komplett's GTA 6 promotion representing one of the more unusual approaches in recent memory. Whether it results in significant sales increases for the retailer remains to be seen, but it has certainly succeeded in generating substantial publicity in both gaming circles and mainstream media.
