Kotaku: WWE applied to trademark "Vice City" for wrestling, 15 weeks before GTA 6

WWE applied to trademark the name "Vice City" in the United States, Kotaku reported on August 6, 2026. Kotaku said the filing was spotted by the wrestling site Fightful and was lodged with the US Patent and Trademark Office on August 4. Kotaku's report ran exactly 15 weeks before GTA 6's November 19 launch.

Kotaku quoted the filing's list of services, which covers wrestling exhibitions and performances, wrestling news and information, fan club events and online newsletters and blogs about sports entertainment. It said WWE was not trying to own the phrase outright and was not moving into video games. The application was still pending and had not been granted.

Why would WWE want the name? Kotaku said several wrestling outlets linked it to Lola Vice, a wrestler who had announced she was leaving WWE's development brand, NXT, and who was expected to move up to the main roster. The name has been tied to her and appears to refer to her roots in Miami, Florida. That explanation came from wrestling coverage as Kotaku relayed it; WWE was not quoted.

Kotaku also pointed out an odd overlap. WWE's video game partner is 2K, which makes the WWE 2K series, and 2K is owned by Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games. Kotaku's Zack Zwiezen wrote that he would be curious whether Take-Two's lawyers would get in touch with WWE's, which was his own aside rather than anything reported.

Nothing in the report said whether the filing had any bearing on GTA 6, which is set in Vice City. Kotaku's story carried no comment from WWE, Rockstar or Take-Two, and whether the application would be granted was not known.