The launch of GTA 6 could cost US businesses up to $1 billion (£750 million) in lost revenue, as an estimated 1.5 million people plan to call in sick on release day, according to an analyst's calculations.
GTA 6 is scheduled for release on November 19, a Thursday, and many are reportedly tempted to take the day off work to enjoy an extended weekend playing the game. The figures, calculated by Professor José García Montalvo at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, cover only the US, leaving the worldwide impact unknown.
Productivity Drop and Demographics
According to the calculations, as reported by the International Business Times, the US could see a productivity drop of around 2% on launch day solely due to people taking time to play the game, with some also taking official time off.
The most likely group to feign illness are men aged 18 to 30, with technology workers being the most enthusiastic single group. Even those who do attend work are expected to be significantly distracted by the launch.
Historical Precedents and Revenue Expectations
The trend is not new: 6% of workers aged 18 to 35 in major US cities took time off to play GTA 5 when it launched in 2013. The irony is that the $1 billion potential loss is nearly exactly what Rockstar Games and owner Take-Two Interactive expect to earn from the game on launch day, with some estimates suggesting up to $4.5 billion (£3.36 billion) in the first seven days.
There is no official budget for GTA 6, but rumours have ranged from $1 billion to more than $3 billion. With revenues likely to outstrip even the highest estimates within a week, GTA 6 is set to become the biggest and most profitable video game release of all time. GTA 5, currently the best-selling traditional video game ever, has sold over 230 million copies and generated an estimated $10 billion in revenues. GTA 6 is predicted to eclipse that quickly, especially once the PC version and online component are announced, which is widely expected early next year.
