“Grand Theft Auto VI” launches November 19, and analysts are projecting the release will cost the United States economy roughly $1 billion in a single day, driven largely by workers taking time off to play it.
Reports indicate so many employees have already scheduled paid time off for November 19 and 20 that the trend has drawn national attention. The scale of planned absences is being described as unprecedented for a video game release, surpassing the workforce disruption seen with past blockbuster titles like “Halo” and “Call of Duty.”
And that estimate reflects only the advance planning. The actual release day could see even more workers calling in sick on short notice.
The game, developed by Rockstar, is set in the fictional Vice City, a parody of South Florida, and has been in development for over a decade. Rockstar has leaned into the hype by effectively turning the real city of Miami into promotional space for the game ahead of launch.
Whether the final product lives up to more than ten years of anticipation remains to be seen. But for roughly 24 hours in late November, a significant slice of the American workforce is expected to be unreachable, having traded a workday for Vice City.
