GTA 6 Launch Day Time-Off Requests Are Up 13% in the US, BambooHR Data Shows

Time-off requests for November 19, 2026, the day GTA 6 launches, are 13% higher than on the same day in past years, according to HR software company BambooHR. The figure comes from the PTO requests of more than 3.4 million US employees on its platform.

BambooHR compares the date with the third Thursday of November in 2024 and 2025. It does not give the number of requests, only the change.

How many people are taking GTA 6 day off

Requests for the days after launch are up too, BambooHR says:

• Thursday, November 19: about 13% higher than past years.
• Friday, November 20: almost 11% higher.
• Saturday and Sunday: nearly 9% higher each.

Part of the rise is a general one. BambooHR says PTO requests across 2026 are up 2% to 4% on the previous two years, so the jump around November 19 is larger than that trend.

What the survey says

BambooHR also surveyed 1,530 full-time US employees between October 9 and 20. 18% said they plan to take the day off for GTA 6, rising to 32% among Gen Z workers and 27% among millennials.

Among workers who take time off for a release, half said they plan to call in sick rather than book leave. In the same survey, 38% said calling in sick is easier than planning time off, and 51% said they use sick days for things other than being sick.

GTA 6 ties with Avengers: Doomsday as the release the most respondents plan to take a day off for. World of Warcraft: Forever, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Dune: Part Three each drew 14%.

The PTO figures were pulled on October 19, three days before BambooHR published them. GTA 6 releases on November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.