Ampere Analysis data shows that the exclusive Netflix debut of GTA VI: An Extended Look became one of the platform’s biggest sign-up drivers of 2026.
Netflix turned anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI into a significant subscriber acquisition opportunity, with more than 100,000 new US sign-ups recorded on the day the game’s extended trailer launched on the platform, according to Ampere Analysis.
Released on August 27, Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look was available exclusively on Netflix for six hours before being released on YouTube. The gameplay-focused trailer generated the third-highest peak in US Netflix sign-ups in 2026, behind the Rousey vs. Carano MMA fight and the release of the final instalment of Stranger Things.
Gaming Becomes a New Subscriber Driver
The results point to Netflix increasingly using major gaming moments to attract audiences beyond its traditional entertainment offerings. Ampere’s PlumResearch data found that more than 5% of US users who had not watched Netflix in the previous 30 days returned to the platform to watch the GTA VI trailer as of September 3.
That was the strongest reactivation rate recorded for any series or movie on Netflix during the period. The performance also highlights the potential of short-term gaming exclusives as a way for streaming platforms to create engagement around major cultural events.
Gaming is a particularly relevant audience for Netflix as the two compete for consumer attention. Ampere’s Q1 2026 Media Consumer survey found that 84% of gamers watch YouTube at least once a month, compared with 62% who watch Netflix. The company has also been expanding its relationship with YouTube creators, including collaborations around titles such as Cocomelon and Rotten Mango.
Netflix Expands GTA VI’s Reach Beyond Gamers
The partnership also offered Rockstar Games an opportunity to introduce Grand Theft Auto VI to audiences outside the franchise’s established fan base.
Netflix is forecast by Ampere to reach nearly 343 million subscribers globally by the end of 2026. Its audience is also more evenly split by gender than the Grand Theft Auto player base: 49% of Netflix subscribers are male, compared with 72% of Grand Theft Auto gamers, according to Ampere’s Q2 2025 Games Consumer survey. The research also found that 16% of Netflix subscribers do not play games at all.
With Grand Theft Auto V already among the best-selling games of all time, expanding awareness among existing gamers is less of a challenge for Rockstar than reaching new audiences. The Netflix launch therefore positioned the GTA VI trailer not simply as a game marketing asset, but as a piece of entertainment capable of reaching a broader streaming audience.
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