When GTA 6 releases on November 19, a significant number of desks in the US are likely to remain empty. This is revealed by a new study from HR service provider BambooHR.
How Many Plan to Take Time Off for GTA 6?
BambooHR surveyed approximately 1,500 full-time employed Americans. 18 percent plan to take the release day off. For Generation Z, that figure is even higher at 32 percent, and for Millennials, it's 27 percent. For comparison: 18 percent also state they would only do so for the Marvel film Avengers: Doomsday. Dune: Part Three, World of Warcraft: Forever, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time each came in at 14 percent.
Real-world leave request data also supports this. On November 19, the rate of vacation requests is nearly 13 percent above the comparable period of the two previous years. On Friday, November 20, it's 11 percent, and over the weekend, still 9 percent. However, the general increase of about two to four percent must be subtracted from these results.
Will Players Really Call in Sick?
According to the survey, about half of those taking time off don't plan for regular vacation, but rather a sick day – stating it's easier. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick himself had already joked that many people would call in sick on release day.
How Reliable Are the Billion-Dollar Figures for Lost Work?
In recent days, reports circulated that the US economy would lose a billion dollars due to GTA 6, as approximately 1.5 million employees would be absent. We had already reported why these calculations are shaky. The figures stem from estimates by economics professor José García Montalvo from 2025 and are not scientifically substantiated. His colleague Victor Matheson argues against this: A day off only shifts leisure time; it doesn't permanently destroy productivity.
From our perspective, the survey primarily shows one thing: The hype is real, but the exact figures should be read with caution. A survey of 1,500 people is not a forecast for millions of players worldwide. Anyone in Germany who wants to play should best plan their vacation in advance – or at least a long weekend.
Source: PC Games
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