GTA 6 Launch Date Sees 13% Rise in US Time-Off Requests

 

GTA 6 is already influencing vacation plans across the United States, with new workforce data showing an unusual increase in paid time-off requests for the game's November 19, 2026 release date.

Human resources software company BambooHR reported that requests for November 19 are running nearly 13% higher than comparable Thursdays in 2024 and 2025. The findings come from anonymized records covering more than 3.4 million active US employees.

According to BambooHR's original research, published October 22, the increase is particularly noticeable around the launch weekend, with additional demand for time off on the following days.

The company also surveyed 1,530 full-time American employees between October 9 and 20. Among respondents, 18% said they planned to take November 19 off for GTA 6.

That figure climbed to 32% among Generation Z workers and 27% among Millennials, suggesting younger employees are especially interested in arranging their schedules around the release.

Earlier BambooHR figures had placed the increase in vacation requests between 9% and 17%. The newer report provides a more specific estimate of approximately 13%.

However, the company cautioned that time-off requests have generally increased by around 2% to 4% compared with previous years. The data therefore cannot establish that GTA 6 is responsible for every additional request.

Rockstar Games has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI launches November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. A PC release date has not been announced.

The findings illustrate the anticipation surrounding Rockstar's next game, although predictions of nationwide productivity losses remain speculative rather than measured economic outcomes.