ORLANDO, Fla. — Some gamers are considering rearranging their work schedules and budgets for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, according to a new survey commissioned by gaming and media company GameSquare.
The survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. employees who identify as gamers found that 30% were considering taking time off for the launch. Among that group, 36% said they would call in sick if they took time off.
Rockstar Games lists Nov. 19 as the release date for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game takes players to Vice City and the fictional state of Leonida.
Time off and late nights
According to GameSquare, 10% of respondents said they planned to skip work on launch day, while 42% believed they might be less productive because of the release.
Respondents planned a median of 15 hours of gameplay during the first weekend, rising to 20 hours among those described in the report as serious gamers.
Eighty percent said they would consider staying up all night to play.
The findings reflect respondents’ stated intentions ahead of the release. They do not establish how many people will actually miss work or change their routines.
Gaming purchases could reshape budgets
The survey found that 84% of respondents intended to buy GTA VI, and 26% ranked it as their top spending priority this fall.
Seventy-two percent said they planned to reduce spending elsewhere to afford the game and related purchases, according to the report.
Potential purchases included gaming chairs, televisions or monitors, and headphones or speakers. Respondents estimated spending an average of about $400 on the game and related items.
Competition for entertainment time
The release could also compete with other entertainment for players’ attention.
Seventy percent of respondents said they might skip sports they normally watch to spend more time gaming. Forty-two percent said they would be less likely to watch NFL games during the first weekend after release.
GameSquare described the survey as nationally representative of full-time U.S. employees who identify as gamers and reported a margin of error of 3 percentage points. The findings should not be interpreted as representing all U.S. workers or all gamers.
The company published the findings in its Grand Theft Auto VI report.
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