‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ is so hotly anticipated that Canadians taking time off to play could rock the economy - Toronto Star

A surge in requests for paid time off on Nov. 19 and 20 have been linked to gamers' excitement over the first GTA release in years.

When “Grand Theft Auto VI” is released on Nov. 19, Brampton’s Lorand Zonda has no intention of tapping the brakes.

The 26-year-old digital marketer and avid gamer has cleared his schedule, booked more than a week off work, and is prepared to lose himself in Vice City, the fictional coastal playground at the heart of what will likely be the biggest video game release in history. At his office, he made no secret that his getaway wouldn’t be at an all-inclusive resort, but in a virtual world on his PlayStation 5, with takeout food containers piling up by his side.

“I have no shame in it,” Zonda told the Star. “I want to maximize my time and fully focus on this masterpiece.”

Across Reddit, fans are sharing stories about negotiating with employers, romantic partners and family members to carve out time for marathon gaming sessions.

It’s been 13 years since Rockstar Games released its last major instalment of the GTA franchise. In the period since, leaked footage and teaser trailers have only fuelled expectations for the newest edition.

Human resources software company BambooHR found in a survey of 1,500 salaried U.S. workers that nearly one in five plan to take the day off for the “GTA VI” release. In Canada, requests for paid time off on Nov. 19 and 20 have increased by roughly seven per cent compared with the same November Thursdays and Fridays over the previous two years.

BambooHR expects an “avalanche” of players making last-minute decisions to stay home, pointing to its survey finding that half of gamers say they plan to call in sick for major game releases.

Charlie Herrera Vacaflor, a senior legal consultant at Toronto-based small-business HR adviser Peninsula Canada, said major cultural events have already impacted the local economy this year. The FIFA World Cup was the biggest example, he said, with workers stepping away to catch matches.

Those absences can be particularly disruptive to small businesses, he said, which may struggle to absorb the productivity loss of several workers at once.

“Launches like ‘GTV VI’ exacerbate costs an employer has to (take) to ensure their workers come to work and stay productive,” he said.

But Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, cautioned against assuming the gaming frenzy will translate into a major productivity hit. Many employers have already accounted for workers’ vacation days, she said, and she’s skeptical that large numbers of the workforce will actually pretend to be sick.

“If this was happening before COVID, then you would have had to call in sick,” she said. “Now, people are going to just work from home.”

The potential distraction could extend beyond office workers. Houston Rockets centre Steven Adams recently suggested that “GTA VI” could even affect professional sports, predicting athletes’ overall performance would “plummet” as they sidelined their training to play the game.

“Just for the month of November, performance is gonna go down,” he said, according to CBS Sports.

“Coaching as well, by the way. The coaching and scouts are gonna be horrendous, mate. Just for November, but it should bounce back in December, hopefully.”

For Zonda, the wait has stretched across much of his transition into adulthood. His father wouldn’t let him play the previous “Grand Theft Auto” — rated “M for Mature (17+)” — for years because he was too young.

“Then I went to college, I started working, so much life happened,” Zonda said.

Players control the actions of Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde.

Like millions of others, Zonda is excited about entering the single-player open world of Leonida, a fictional state modelled after Florida, where crime syndicates have a stranglehold. The game’s protagonists, Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval, are a pair of outlaws whose romantic partnership evokes a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Along with robbing banks and racing cars, players can navigate them through real-world experiences, such as playing sports and working out at the gym.

Expectations for “GTA VI” extend well beyond the gaming community. Some critics have compared its artistic ambitions to auteur-driven cinema of the 1970s, while others predict a cultural impact more akin to a Marvel or Star Wars blockbuster.

The global “Grand Theft Auto VI” promotional effort extended to the Mercuriales Towers in the Paris suburb of Bagnolet.

While game experts say it’s common for serious players to book vacation days around major new releases, the enthusiasm surrounding “GTA VI” is on another level. Its predecessor, “GTA V,” generated more than $800 million (U.S.) in sales on its first day of release in 2013, reaching $1 billion (U.S.) within three days.

Data analytics firm Sensor Tower estimates preorders for the new game have already surpassed $750 million across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, its two platforms.

Katya Ryabova, a Toronto gaming journalist attributes the frenzy to a combination of factors.

“Grand Theft Auto VI” is set in Vice City, a fictionalized version of Miami.

Rockstar delayed “GTA VI” twice, from its original May 2025 release date and again from a subsequent date this year. The company cited development delays tied to the pandemic and the need for a rigorous final polish. The postponements only seemed to fuel online speculation about the new game’s technological advancements, while stoking nostalgia for the hit franchise.

“(‘GTA VI’) has that breakout quality where ‘normies’ — casual gamers who may not be as embedded in the industry — will play it,” she said.

Other recent games have attracted similar buzz, she added. Nintendo Switch 2’s “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” a remake of its beloved 1998 game for the N64, came out Nov. 5 and had fans lining up outside local retailers on release day.

While previous instalments of “GTA” led to similar midnight launch events, the new game won’t generate the same kind of massive in-store gatherings. It is being released digitally, without a physical disc, though stores will carry a code-in-box version that allows collectors to have a game case on their shelves.

Players can navigate Jason Duval working out at the gym in “Grand Theft Auto VI.” 

Toronto’s Uyi Ogbole said he understands how “GTA VI” could devour people’s leisure time. The 32-year-old tech-sales worker organized a four-day gaming weekend with four close friends, who plan to log into the game from their respective homes at exactly the same time next Thursday. Since “GTA VI” doesn’t offer an option for shared-world online play yet, each of them will be navigating Vice City solo while connected through a group video chat.

“It’s the camaraderie of it,” Ogbole said.

“We go out together, we all watch the same sports and we’re part of the same fantasy leagues.”

Ogbole said planning for “GTA VI” has stirred up fond memories of playing earlier versions of the game with his brothers.

As he got older, work and other responsibilities gradually pushed gaming to the sidelines. Recently, he stumbled across a “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas”-branded shirt on Instagram and decided to buy it. He wore it to a friend’s birthday party over the summer, sparking others to share their experiences playing the game and their anticipation for the new one.

“Everything from childhood just flooded back,” he said. “It’s the feeling of being 15 years old again.”

David Friend writes about arts and culture in Toronto and beyond. Follow him on Instagram and Bluesky.