GTA 6 sick days could cost the US 301.5 million dollars

A PCMag survey conducted by YouGov and reported by Hypebeast estimates that 12.5 million US gamers plan to take time off or adjust their work or school schedules to play GTA 6. That is 8% of adult gamers. The poll ran from October 23 to 27 and covered 2,024 adults, 1,154 of them gamers.

Gen Z leads at 13%. Another 3% plan to take two days or more, 3% a full day and 2% a half day or altered hours. The figure counts people changing their schedules, not net absences or the wage cost in the Amazon Slots study, so the two estimates are not directly comparable.

Rockstar hasn't released a mainline GTA since GTA V launched on September 17, 2013. That 13-year gap is why the release date is already treated like an unofficial holiday. Someone has now put a price on that day off.

Amazon Slots, an online slots site, estimates that 989,329 US workers will miss work above the norm on Thursday, November 19. The wages for work not done would come to 301.5 million dollars.

The estimate adds up two groups. The first is 514,451 more workers than usual with approved time off, based on BambooHR, which sees requests up to 17% higher than on a typical third Thursday in November. The second is 474,878 who would call in sick, using a GameSquare survey: 36% of gamers plan a sick day and 39% plan to book time off.

Georgia would lose 9.1 million dollars across 31,943 workers, out of a workforce of 5.3 million. KOB 4, a TV station in Albuquerque, cites the same study for New Mexico: more than 5,700 people and about 1.38 million dollars. For perspective, Georgia's figure is more than six times New Mexico's.

In the UK, the news account @GTAlphaintel says on X that paid leave could cost businesses more than 12 million pounds, with 83,000 days off booked for game-related reasons. The post names no source or method.

Utah would have the highest share of absences: 6.715 per 1,000 employed, with 11,876 workers and more than 3 million dollars in wages. North Dakota follows with 6.477 per 1,000 and 701,000 dollars, then Idaho with 6.414 and 1.4 million dollars.

Texas ranks fourth at 6.356 per 1,000 and 29.4 million dollars, the biggest bill in the top five. Georgia sits 34th at 5.999 per 1,000, and Hawaii closes the list at 5.567.

Mukesh Pawar of Amazon Slots puts it down to demographics: young, male workforces like Utah and North Dakota would miss more work than older workforces with more women, like Hawaii.

If you're planning to skip work, you won't be alone: time-off requests for launch day run up to 17% above normal, according to BambooHR. Ask early.

A player interviewed by KOB 4 is taking two days of paid time off and expects around 25 hours of play to explore the map of Leonida. Anders Hansen, an assistant manager at a GameStop store, says the people planning days off span every age group.

The preload starts on November 12 at 00:00 local time, so you can have the game downloaded before your day off. If it's your first time in Leonida, the GTA 6 beginner's guide saves you the first hours of trial and error, and everything known so far is in what we know about GTA 6.

Neither Middle Georgia CEO nor KOB 4 links the Amazon Slots report, and the UK post cites no source. Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive haven't commented on the figures.

The real check comes on November 19, when GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. If you want that Thursday off, tell your boss before the preload opens on November 12.

How much could GTA 6 sick days cost in the US?

About 301.5 million dollars in wages for work not done, according to the Amazon Slots study reported by Middle Georgia CEO.

How many workers could miss work on launch day?

About 989,329 nationwide above the norm, 31,943 of them in Georgia, according to the same study.

When does GTA 6 launch?

Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, according to Rockstar Games. The preload starts on November 12.