We are now less than a month away from the arrival of GTA 6, and according to recent reporting, its launch day alone may cost America $1 billion.
That is because an estimated 1.5 million workers are planning to take 19th November 2026 as a day off, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in Jason and Lucia’s adventure throughout the day.
Assuming the number is accurate, the US economy stands to lose a considerable amount of money in the span of 24 hours.
Interestingly, though, that $1 billion loss in output might balance out, because Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, expects its current fiscal year to pull in over that amount in operating cash flow. GTA 6 is the main driver behind that.
So, while employers around the country lose a day of labour from a portion of their staff, it seems Take-Two will be banking a similar amount of money anyway.
However you slice these estimates, I think it’s quite clear that a lot of people are planning to take at least one day off work (or call in sick) for GTA 6. The amount of hype surrounding Rockstar’s latest game is unparalleled.
I saw someone on X (sorry for the lack of credit, whoever you are) compare GTA 6’s release to what happens in Japan whenever a new Dragon Quest game comes out — the country basically shuts down so everyone can get the chance to play it on launch day.
Anyway, GTA 6 is fast on the approach now, and I’m curious: are you planning on taking some time off work to dive head first into the open world title?
Vote in our polls, and tell us your launch day plans in the comments section below.
Have thoughts, questions, or benchmarks on this topic? Join the discussion on our forums.
Join Discussion ➔
Join the conversation