Norwegian Company Offers Free Game for Babies Born on Launch Day
A Norwegian electronics retailer has found a very unexpected way to tie gaming hype to real-life milestones. If a baby is born on the exact day one of the most anticipated video games ever launches, the parents get the game for free.
Norway-based retailer Komplett announced it will give away free copies of Grand Theft Auto VI to parents whose babies are born on the game’s release date, currently scheduled for November 19, 2026.
A Promotion Built Around One Very Specific Date
The campaign is connected directly to the planned launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, which has already seen multiple delays. The game was first expected in late 2025. It was then pushed to May 26, 2026, before settling on its current target of November 19, 2026.
That shifting timeline has become part of the conversation around the promotion itself. Many focused on one obvious question: what happens if the release date moves again? Since the offer is tied to the launch date rather than a calendar promise, the assumption is that the free copy would follow the game if delays happen. Still, the uncertainty adds another layer of humor to the campaign.
From a marketing standpoint, the move is clever. Norway has a relatively small population compared to larger gaming markets, which means the number of qualifying births on a single day would likely be manageable. At the same time, the campaign guarantees massive attention.
Not the First Time Gaming and Birthdays Collided
This type of promotion has happened before, though usually with even stranger conditions. In 2011, Bethesda promised a lifetime supply of its games to any parent who had a baby on the launch day of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The catch was that the baby had to be named Dovahkiin, the title of the game’s main character. One couple actually accepted the offer, and Bethesda followed through.
Komplett’s version is far less intense. Parents do not need to name their child after a character, and there are no long-term commitments beyond the birth date requirement. That makes the campaign feel more like a fun bonus than a life decision tied to gaming culture.
Why This Kind of Marketing Works
Gaming launches now function more like major entertainment events than simple product releases. Companies compete for attention, and a promotion like this can succeed with only a few participants. It only needs people talking about it.
Many reactions ranged from amused to sarcastic, with jokes about “release date baby planning,” while others pointed out the obvious reality of newborn life. New parents usually have little time for gaming, especially during the first few months after birth.
Some people framed the campaign as a creative marketing stunt. Others treated it as a reminder of how massive the anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI has become. The game is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment launches of the decade, and retailers are already preparing for huge demand.
Waiting for Launch Day
Image via Canva/Africa images
Right now, everything depends on whether Grand Theft Auto VI meets its November 2026 target. Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two, have signaled confidence in the timeline, though fans remain cautious after previous delays.
If the date holds, somewhere in Norway, a handful of new parents could end up celebrating two major arrivals at once. Even if those parents do not get much time to play right away, they will at least have a memorable story attached to launch day. And for Komplett, that story might be worth far more than the cost of a few free game copies.