# Workers are taking time off to play Grand Theft Auto VI

> A new survey shows 39% of gamers plan to request PTO for the game's November 19 release, with others calling in sick or working from home instead.
- Title: Workers are taking time off to play Grand Theft Auto VI
- Summary: A new survey shows 39% of gamers plan to request PTO for the game's November 19 release, with others calling in sick or working from home instead. Ahead of…
- Keywords: grand theft auto vi, rockstar games, pto, sick days, video games, workplace culture, time off, Workers, taking, time, play, Grand
- Source: Fastcompany — https://fastcompany.com/91626090/everyones-taking-pto-and-sick-days-to-play-grand-theft-auto-vi
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: grand theft auto vi, rockstar games, pto, sick days, video games, workplace culture, time off
## GTA flu sweeps the nation
Workers are calling in sick to play Grand Theft Auto VI when it releases on PlayStation five and Xbox Series X slash S consoles on November nineteen.
## Survey reveals time-off plans
GameSquare and Pollfish surveyed one thousand employed U.S. adults who play video games regularly. Thirty-nine percent plan to request PTO in advance for the game.
## Sick days and remote work
The survey found thirty-six percent said they will call in sick, and thirty-two percent said they would work from home that day instead of taking formal time off.
## Gaming's scale in America
More than one hundred ninety million Americans are gamers, making this data relevant for understanding workforce behavior and time-off patterns across the nation.
## Jake's four-day weekend
Jake, who works in tech PR, is taking November nineteen and twenty off to make it a four-day weekend. His manager gave her blessing when he asked.

> She gave a mildly amused shrug and said, 'It's your PTO, use it how you want.'
## Jake's midnight launch plan
He plans to log his first few hours at midnight on November nineteen, sleep, take care of a couple things the next morning, then dive back in.

> I'll probably log my first few hours at midnight on the 19th, sleep, take care of a couple things the next morning, and dive back in.
## Rockstar's billion-dollar franchise
Grand Theft Auto is one of the best-selling video game series of all time and has earned Rockstar Games billions of dollars since its debut in nineteen ninety-seven.
## Thirteen years of waiting
It has been thirteen long years since a new title in the main Grand Theft Auto series was released, building enormous anticipation among gamers worldwide.
## Critics' verdict on the game
Critics say Grand Theft Auto VI is the most anticipated video game of the decade, explaining the widespread enthusiasm for taking time off to play it.
## Workplace readiness question
Gamers are ready for the release, but offices might not be prepared for the wave of time-off requests and absences that could follow on November nineteenth.
## Larger workplace culture issues
The phenomenon hints at larger cultural issues in the workplace around work-life balance, employee autonomy, and how companies handle time-off requests for personal pursuits.
## Key takeaway

Ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI's November 19 release, a survey found 39% of employed gamers plan to request PTO, 36% will call in sick, and 32% will work from home instead.