Ethan Crossfield 
WWE has walked away from its attempt to trademark “Vice City,” removing a potential source of confusion just as Rockstar Games ramps up promotion for Grand Theft Auto 6. The wrestling company has not publicly explained the decision, but the timing places the filing alongside growing attention on GTA 6’s fictional version of Miami.
What happened to WWE’s Vice City trademark?
WWE submitted its Vice City trademark application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in August. The filing covered entertainment uses connected to professional wrestling, including live performances, broadcasts, websites, fan-club services, and related activities. It was not an application for a video game product.
Fightful reported that WWE filed an express abandonment on September 2, and the USPTO processed it on September 21. No official reason has been provided. That leaves the connection to GTA 6 as context rather than a confirmed explanation, although the overlap is difficult to miss. WWE wrestler Lola Vice is presented as being from Miami and has used the Vice City name in her wrestling identity, while Rockstar’s next game is returning to a fictional Miami-inspired setting with the same name.
Why the name matters as GTA 6 approaches
Rockstar’s marketing has increasingly emphasized Vice City itself, not just the game’s characters or action. Promotional signage appearing in Miami has connected the real-world city with the upcoming open-world crime game, making the fictional setting more visible outside traditional game trailers and screenshots.
GTA 6 is scheduled for release on November 19, and the campaign is expected to become more prominent as launch gets closer. In that environment, a wrestling trademark using Vice City could have created an unusual association for audiences encountering the phrase through WWE, especially when both uses draw on Miami’s cultural identity.
There is also a corporate connection worth noting. Take-Two Interactive owns Rockstar Games and 2K, the publisher of WWE’s games. However, the available information provides no evidence that Take-Two or 2K influenced WWE’s decision to abandon the application.
What to watch next
For now, WWE can continue using Lola Vice’s name and Miami-based presentation, while Rockstar retains the strongest association with Vice City in the gaming space. The abandonment does not indicate a change to GTA 6’s release plans or marketing strategy.
The main development to monitor is how heavily Rockstar continues to foreground Vice City in its promotional material. Every additional real-world reference or campaign element could make the name more closely tied to GTA 6 before the November launch. WWE’s decision also shows how entertainment brands can face complications when a familiar phrase becomes closely associated with a major upcoming release, even when the underlying audiences and trademark categories differ.
Key takeaways
- WWE abandoned its Vice City trademark application after filing it in August.
- The USPTO processed the express abandonment on September 21, following WWE’s September 2 submission.
- The filing covered wrestling and entertainment services, not video games.
- No public explanation confirms that GTA 6 caused WWE to withdraw the application.
- Rockstar’s Vice City marketing is likely to receive more attention before GTA 6 launches on November 19.
Expert View
The practical impact is limited, but the timing is revealing. Rockstar’s marketing has made Vice City a major cultural signifier before GTA 6 even arrives, and WWE appears to have recognized that the name could pull attention toward another company’s blockbuster. Until WWE or the rights holders provide more detail, the safest conclusion is that the trademark was abandoned amid an increasingly crowded association around Vice City—not that a confirmed corporate dispute took place.
