The release of “Grand Theft Auto 6” on November 19, 2026 could cause an estimated $1 billion in losses to the U.S. economy due to mass vacations and absenteeism among the working population.
Thousands of young Americans are planning to take a day off from school or work to work exclusively on Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated new product, according to a study by Barcelona economics professor Jose Montalvo.
The excitement has already impacted the market: developers of massive spin-offs 42nd Squadron To avoid getting caught in the crossfire of premieres, some U.S. companies have publicly warned customers that logistics and technical support will be slowed down by a lack of on-site staff. Meanwhile, Take-Two itself is expected to earn an astronomical $1 billion upon initial sales.
