US Economy Could Lose $1B in Lost Productivity Due to GTA 6's Release: Analysts
Analysts say up to 1.5 million workers could stay home, as companies and employees prepare for the game’s release, according to reports.
- Grand Theft Auto VI will launch on Thursday, November 19, potentially draining $1 billion from the U.S. economy as approximately 1.5 million workers plan to explore the fictional Vice City setting. The Thursday release allows many to extend the break into the weekend.
- Economic projections suggest as many as 1.5 million people could stay home on release day, creating an abrupt hit to national output. Some employers are incorporating the date into year-end leave packages as an unofficial benefit, the Wall Street Journal reported.
- Historical data shows similar trends, with an IGN survey finding 46 percent of Grand Theft Auto V players had taken the day off at launch. Avengers: Endgame cost the U.S. nearly $3 billion in lost productivity, roughly three times the GTA VI projection.
- Take-Two Interactive expects more than $1 billion in operating cash flow this fiscal year, driven largely by the new title. SensorTower tracking data indicates the company has already generated nearly $600 million in revenue from preorders.
- Widespread interest has already prompted some companies to treat the date as a de facto holiday, showing how a single release ripples through the broader economy. This pattern is not new for the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
14 Articles
14 Articles
'GTA 6' Could Cause 1.5 Million Americans to Miss Work on Release Day, According to Experts
To say the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI game is highly anticipated is like saying water is wet. As of this month, estimated pre-orders have reached 6 million copies, with PS5 pre-orders accounting for 4.8 million alone. But is it possible that this latest addition to the Grand Theft Auto franchise could actually have a […]
'Grand Theft Auto VI' release set to cost US economy staggering amount as gamers plan PTO days - NEW YORK TIMES POST
The “Grand Theft Auto VI” saga has taken a ton of twists and turns in the past year. From delays to leaks and even the “digital release” controversy, GTA VI has been in the news cycle for so long that it’s hard to believe this will all be coming to an end next month. On [...]
Everyone’s taking PTO and sick days to play ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’
Folks are lining up for their annual seasonal vaccines. But there’s one contagion that a CVS appointment can’t immunize against. “GTA flu” is sweeping the nation—and many workers anticipate “catching” it to call out sick once Grand Theft Auto VI releases on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles on November 19. Others put in paid time off (PTO) requests weeks, even months ahead of the release of the game that critics say is the most anticipa…
Video game’s release could cost US economy $ONE BILLION in lost productivity in just one day
The release of one of the most anticipated video games in history could drain as much as $1 billion from the U.S. economy in a single day, as large numbers of workers call out sick or use vacation time to play, according to a report from the New York Post drawing on estimates from Spanish […]
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