'Time Off' Requests Surge Ahead Of Grand Theft Auto VI Release

Grand Theft Auto VI's upcoming release is just over two weeks away, and for millions of gamers, November 19 is set to become an unofficial holiday.

Personal finance publication Money cites new data from HR software company BambooHR showing that time-off requests are 9% to 17% higher than for a typical third Thursday in November. The increase in time-off requests coincides with the release of GTA VI.

BambooHR did not identify the age group requesting the most time off, but millennials were teenagers when GTA V was released in 2013, more than 13 years ago. For many gamers, it's been a very long wait.

BREAKING: GTA 6 file size is 210GB https://t.co/ViFjd6hbYW

— GTA 6 Intel (@GTA6Intel) October 27, 2026

GTA VI has attracted over 5.2 million preorders, according to Sensor Tower data. Data from a separate market research firm, Circana, show that demand for Sony's PlayStation 5 consoles has also surged in the US ahead of the GTA VI release.

Money continues:

It's difficult to say with certainty that the highly anticipated video game is the sole reason behind the uptick in time off requests. A BambooHR spokesperson said that while the trend is striking, it could also reflect a larger cultural push toward using time off more freely.

Anecdotally, GTA 6 is playing a clear role.

"I know some people that are going to take weeks off," one user wrote on X, "and I'm one of them."

On Reddit, another person posted in July that when he asked for Nov. 19-20 off, his manager automatically assumed it was for GTA 6. The manager not only approved the request but decided to take those days off, as well.

Some employers are leaning into the excitement. In California, a popular motorsports shop sent out a memo saying that it decided to close on Nov. 19 due to the amount of time off requests it received.

Raymond James interactive entertainment analyst Andrew Marok wrote in a note last week that "the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI is set to be transformational" for Take-Two Interactive, whose wholly owned subsidiary, Rockstar Games, developed the game. 

Read the report here.

However, Take-Two Interactive shares are locked in a bear market as of Tuesday's close, down about 21.4% year-to-date.