MAKURAHI MESSE, CHIBA, JAPAN - 2026/09/18: Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) exhibition booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026. Tokyo Game Show 2026 marked its 30th year and took place September 1720 at Makuhari Messe after the planned final day was canceled for wea
When "Grand Theft Auto 6" drops next month, millions of Americans are planning a trip to Vice City that reports claim could cost the US economy a staggering $1 billion in lost productivity in just one day.
$1 billion loss?
By the numbers:
Approximately 1.5 million American workers are expected to skip work on Thursday, November 19, to play the highly anticipated game, according to the International Business Times.
The report claims that an economist estimates the sudden drain of 1.5 million workers would trim the national output by roughly 2%. Assuming the average annual output per worker is around $70,000, this one-day mass exodus results in a $1 billion blow to US productivity.
Rockstar Games offering an 'Extended Look' at GTA 6 on Aug. 27
The release of one of the most anticipated video games of all time is getting a new sneak preview.
Tech firms, where younger demographics heavily over-index, are expected to feel the sharpest pinch.
Even Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company, isn't hiding from the inevitable. CEO Strauss Zelnick recently remarked at a Las Vegas conference, "I think a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19."
Planned PTO
Dig deeper:
While many employees may suddenly come down with the "GTA flu," others have reportedly been planning for this day for months.
According to the Wall Street Journal, some workers have actively banked their paid time off for launch day, while some companies built the date into their end-of-year compensation packages.
Army unit allowing reenlistees 4 days off incentive to play GTA 6
The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering soldiers who sign their reenlistment contracts "a special 4 day pass" in November, giving them time off to play the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6.
History repeating
The backstory:
This wouldn't be the first time a "Grand Theft Auto" release has caused a massive work exodus, according to the New York Post.
When ‘GTA V’ launched in 2013, an IGN survey of 11,000 readers found that 46% had proactively taken the day off, and nearly 20% planned to call in sick that morning. In major hubs like New York City and Los Angeles, Cadena SER reported that 6% of the 18-to-35 demographic missed work on release weekend.
Cashing in
The other side:
While the broader US economy may take a hit, Rockstar Games and its parent company are cashing in.
Take-Two Interactive expects more than $1 billion in operating cash flow this fiscal year, largely driven by the GTA 6 release. According to SensorTower’s GTA preorder tracker, the game has already raked in nearly $600 million in revenue from preorders alone.
Market research firm Newzoo further estimates GTA 6 could secure up to $4.5 billion in retail bookings during its opening week.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from reports by the International Business Times, New York Post and Wall Street Journal.