EBay has opened up its livestream shopping platform to vehicles, and the company is using upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI to raise awareness about the move.
Today, October 29, eBay announced the launch of the eBay Most Wanted Collection, a set of four classic cars inspired by vehicles from prominent video games. Intended to commemorate the introduction of vehicles as a category on eBay Live, eBay’s livestream shopping platform, the vehicles will be displayed at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas on November 5 — and will then be sold via an eBay Live stream later that day, with a starting price of $6 for each vehicle.
“We’re focused on introducing new audiences to eBay Live and demonstrating how the platform can bring the excitement of live shopping to automotive enthusiasts,” said eBay Live vice president and general manager Jesse Kiefer in a written interview with GamesBeat. To measure the success of the launch, Kiefer said eBay will “be looking at how audiences engage with the collection, including interest in the vehicles, first time viewers, and audience participation during the livestream.”
The four vehicles included in eBay’s Most Wanted Collection were sourced on eBay and customized using parts found on the company’s marketplace, and include a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette C8, a 2006 Dodge Viper, a 1992 BMW 325i convertible, and a 1975 Chevrolet Nova painted hot pink. Ahead of the reveal today, eBay covered travel and board costs for a group of journalists — including yours truly — to attend and ride in the cars during a press event in Los Angeles.
“One thing that I think is interesting when you have a bunch of creators come out to the same event is how much different content you get from those people who are all kind of doing the same thing,” said Amanda “Amanda Reviews Cars” Cline, a journalist and content creator who attended at the event, in an interview with GamesBeat. “And they did a really good job picking these cars.”
All four of the vehicles in eBay’s Most Wanted Collection will be sold on eBay Live through a stream hosted by Fast and Furious actor Sung Kang and automotive creator Hertrech “Hert” Eugene Jr. Fans can preview the eBay Most Wanted Collection and set a reminder to attend the official livestream at 12 p.m. Pacific Time at ebay.com/mostwanted. All proceeds from the auctions will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
“I’m a fan of all video games that have anything to do with cars,” Kang said in an interview with GamesBeat. “The reason I get excited about this combination of gaming and cars and eBay Live is that a lot of us, at the beginning of our car journey, don’t have the resources or time to go and build a garage and build your dream car — but in these games, this is where it all started, and you have a community of people to help you.”
From its choice of vehicles to the name of the Most Wanted Collection, EBay’s fanfare around the launch of vehicles on eBay Live is chock-full of references to Grand Theft Auto VI, with journalists participating in the press event being assigned a folder of “missions” tied to each vehicle in the collection. Notably, however, the activation was entirely devoid of any official GTA branding, and Kiefer declined to comment on the timing connection between eBay’s product launch and the rollout of GTA VI.
As the November 19 console release of GTA VI grows closer, brands and advertisers of all kinds are looking to get in on the action. Since Rockstar Games is not signing any official GTA-related brand deals ahead of the game’s release, marketers have developed a range of creative techniques to tie their brands to GTA VI without directly referencing the game, much like brands use “Big Game” terminology to advertise around the Super Bowl in unofficial ways. EBay’s GTA-adjacent Most Wanted Collection is the latest example of this type of advertiser activity.
“I think it’s super smart for them to capitalize on the moment with an activation that feels like it’s inspired by the game, because these kinds of moments don’t happen often in culture,” said Chris Mann, the senior vice president of the agency rEvolution, in an interview with GamesBeat. “Everyone is so hungry for news and content around GTA, but without the ability to actually leverage GTA, what is the next-biggest thing you can do? And these guys are finding the way to do that.”
In his interview with GamesBeat, Kiefer noted that eBay has a long history of tapping into major cultural moments across sports, entertainment, fashion, and automotive culture in a bid to connect buyers with relevant items and experiences, with other examples ranging from an eBay Live presence at The National, a prominent sports collectibles event, and a livestream hosted by Rob Gronkowski at New York Comic Con.
“The eBay Most Wanted Collection follows that same thinking. We’re bringing together gaming and automotive enthusiasts in a way that feels relevant to both communities, while introducing vehicles as a new category on eBay Live,” Kiefer said.