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

WWE has abandoned its attempt to trademark the term 'Vice City,' according to a recent filing. The initial application was submitted on August 8, but was declared 'dead' by September 21.

It seems unlikely that WWE was planning its own Grand Theft Auto game. Instead, the move was probably tied to Lola Vice, a WWE wrestler recently promoted to the main roster. Her in-ring name isn't the only clue—she also hails from Miami, Florida, the real-life inspiration for GTA's Vice City.

While WWE hasn't explained why it dropped the trademark, it's easy to speculate that Rockstar Games wouldn't have been pleased with someone else claiming a name it has used for over two decades. Vice City is, after all, the setting for the PS2 classic GTA: Vice City and the highly anticipated GTA 6. You'd think Triple H and company were aware of that, but they tried their luck anyway.

Rockstar is making sure everyone remembers the connection, having spent nearly $1 million on 'Welcome to Vice City' signage in real-life Miami.

Interestingly, backyard wrestling appears to be one of the many activities Jason and Lucia can participate in in GTA 6, and there's even a nod to John Cena's Attitude Adjustment finisher in the recent extended look at the game. You can check that out and 99 other details we spotted in our first look at gameplay here.

GTA 6 is poised to take the world by storm when it launches on November 19, and the sports and entertainment industries will feel the impact. NBA star Steven Adams has even predicted that the game's release will cause a 'league-wide' dip in performance for basketball players and coaches.

It's been a hectic week for the GTA and Red Dead Redemption studio, and we expect every week to be busy until GTA 6 arrives. The developer has removed footage of scrapped GTA 5 DLC and an early leaked GTA 6 map, outlined its new modding policy, and seemingly crushed dreams of monetized GTA 6 RP servers.