If you thought that Rockstar Games couldn’t put a foot wrong, well, it can.
Grand Theft Auto VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection was unveiled yesterday, on September 24, a $400 ‘collector’s box’ full of merchandise. The box claims to feature “all the essentials” according to Rockstar Games’ own website, and yet, the Vice City Collection doesn’t actually feature a copy of GTA VI. You’ll need to buy that separately.
I wish I could tell you that the merch inside is at least cool but it’s been branded “junk” and “slop” by fans online, with half of the box’s contents simply being rehashed versions of previous merch releases. Rockstar attracted a little heat for its decision to only launch GTA VI digitally, although not as much as you might imagine; its Vice City Collection, however, is receiving heavy backlash with pre-orders already having been cancelled.
What’s Inside the Vice City Collection?
The GTA VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection is not cheap at $399.99 / £349.99. Here’s exactly what you’re getting inside:
- Six-inch figure of Macca the Gator with stash compartment
- Matte black GTA VI Oakley Frogskins sunglasses with Prizm Sapphire lenses
- New Era 9FORTY A-Frame snapback hat with Vice City Leonida embellishments
- Macca the Gator magnetic mirror
- Vice City swizzle spoon
- Vice City razor blade keychain
- Leonida Keys crossbody bag
- Chunkee the Manatee shot glass
- Leonida Keys enamel pin set in a custom metal tin
- Premium stickers in a stash bag
- Double-sided souvenir poster showcasing the full Leonida landscape
It’s most definitely the Oakley sunglasses driving the price of this collection up, with the brand charging $150 to $250 a pair. But for many fans, that doesn’t justify the cost — especially when the game itself isn’t included.
The Return of Controversial Drug Paraphernalia
Aside from being expensive, GTA VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection isn’t exactly original either, with several of the merch items — including the mirror, spoon, and razor blade keychain — being rehashes of similar items launched alongside the original Vice City. These items drew heavy fire the first time they were released, with some arguing that they promoted the use of cocaine. Clearly, Rockstar Games isn’t all that worried about ruffling the same feathers this time around.
Fans Are Cancelling Pre-Orders
The Vice City Collection is yet to sell out with some even cancelling pre-orders.
“After a good night, I cancelled and I feel better.” — arnaudbrabus75
“Honestly people who do buy these are contributing to the normalisation of mediocrity for future products.” — guts1ck
“I did the same, slept on it after pre-ordering and decided it was a waste of money.” — LittleBIGman83
In another thread, Ssago96 wrote: “The collector’s box is the first disappointment… Leaks were cool, Extended Look got me hyped and the PS5 controller was well priced and I pre-ordered it, but $400 for a box with some goodies?” Other replies included “$400 for a box full of junk,” and “More slop for piggy.”
Also, Read
- GTA 6 Merch Reveal Expected as Rockstar Prepares Another Surprise Following The Album
- GTA 6 Gets First PC Tease as Online Mode Set for 2027 Launch
- Rockstar Games Hit by Another Leak as Potential GTA 6 DLC Surfaces, Teasing Returning Setting
The Bottom Line
The negative reception to the Vice City Collection is hardly going to affect the overall success of GTA VI as we approach its PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S launch on November 19. Even so, it shows that a company as beloved and revered as Rockstar can still get it wrong from time to time.
Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.