A new report claimed that Grand Theft Auto 6 could cost the US economy approximately $1 billion when it launches on Thursday, November 19. Grand Theft Auto 6 is arguably the most anticipated game of the year so far, despite waves of leaks that revealed some details about Rockstar Games’ upcoming title.
It’s no secret that Grand Theft Auto 6 has already become a cultural phenomenon despite not yet being fully released as of this writing. Along with the ongoing advertising push, GTA 6 has also caused some game developers to work around Rockstar’s plans. The Star Citizen spin-off title Squadron 42 announced that it was pushing back its launch date to some time in Q2 2027. Squadron 42 developer Cloud Imperium Games stated that the delay was made to avoid being caught in the crossfire of GTA 6‘s launch.
GTA 6 Launch Could Come With a $1 Billion Price Tag for the US Economy
Days after GTA 6 revealed an extended look on Netflix, a report claimed that the US economy could temporarily bear the brunt of the game’s launch. According to a study conducted by José Montalvo, Professor of Economics at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, the US economy could take a $1 billion hit on November 19 due to the number of people who will take off work or school to play the game at launch. The study further predicted that thousands of men in the US aged between 18 and 30 will call in for a day off once Rockstar Games’ most anticipated title hits store shelves. By comparison, the study also claimed that 2% of workers aged between 18 and 35 in major US cities took time off to play GTA 5 at launch in September 2013.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Ahead of GTA 6‘s launch, some companies across the US have already given customers advance notice. California-based car company Burger Motorsports previously announced that daily operations would be affected by GTA 6‘s arrival, as several staff members have already dedicated time off to play the game at launch. Burger Motorsports stated that customer support, shipping, order processing, and general productivity would be slowed down for at least a few days starting November 19.
Coincidentally, Rockstar Games previously stated that it is expected to generate $1 billion in cash flow due to GTA 6‘s launch sales. Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of GTA 6 publisher Take-Two, stated that the money would come from sales and day-to-day operations. Since Take-Two has no other projects planned for 2026, GTA 6 is anticipated to make up a majority of the company’s revenue. Though all of Rockstar Games’ development studios are contributing to GTA 6, Rockstar North in Edinburgh, Scotland is leading the project. Ergo, it is possible that the UK economy will benefit from the costs that the US economy could incur in November.
Although Take-Two’s stock took a dip following some leaks about GTA 6, that has not deterred the company from its current marketing push. Given that businesses big and small across the US employ young adults, it is currently unclear how much of the US workforce will schedule time off on November 19.
- Released
-
November 19, 2026
- ESRB
-
Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
Sources: Rockstar Intel, El Output
