The release of Grand Theft Auto VI could cost British companies around £12 million (about $16.1 million) due to a rise in the number of holidays and days off taken by employees, reports The Sun, citing the BrightHR service.
The game is scheduled for release on 19 November, 13 years after the previous instalment in the series. According to BrightHR, British employees have booked 83,000 days of leave in November and December for reasons related to the release of GTA VI. On the day of release alone, companies could lose around £3.14 million ($4.22 million).
In 4.63% of leave requests for 19 November, GTA VI is given directly as the reason. Some employees, the publication notes, have even threatened to resign if they are not given the day off.
“This release will cost companies more than £12 million, which is a serious loss over such a short period of time. Some managers may roll their eyes when employees take leave for a video game, but it is no less valid a reason than taking leave to attend a football match, a concert or a hen party. Fans have been waiting for this for 13 years,” said BrightHR chief Alan Price.
As we reported earlier, similar excitement is expected in the US, where American gamers are also taking leave for the release of GTA VI. Similar situations have previously arisen in Japan following the releases of major games, including Pokémon and Final Fantasy.
GTA VI was announced in December 2023. The game is set in the fictional Vice City, which is modelled on Miami. The main characters will be Jason and Lucia, the first female protagonist in the series. The game will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Pre-loading of the digital versions will begin on 12 November.
