Grand Theft Auto VI launch may cost US economy $1 billion in lost productivity

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on November 19, and economists project the launch could result in a $1 billion loss in productivity for the US economy, according to 1031thebeat.iheart.com.

José García Montalvo, an economics professor at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, estimates that about 1.5 million Americans will skip work on the game's release day, causing a productivity decline of approximately 2 percent based on an average yearly output of $70,000 per worker.

Men aged 18 to 30 are expected to constitute most of the absent workers, with the technology sector likely to be the most affected. BambooHR, a human resources platform, has reported a significant increase in vacation requests for November 19, with paid time off requests running 9 to 17 percent above historical averages from recent years.

While BambooHR acknowledges it cannot definitively attribute the increase solely to Grand Theft Auto VI, the data is consistent across multiple checkpoints. The economic impact also has an international element, as much of the revenue will flow to Rockstar North, the game's lead studio based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Take-Two Interactive's CEO Strauss Zelnick has indicated that the company expects over $1 billion in operating cash flow this fiscal year, driven mainly by Grand Theft Auto VI. Market research firm Newzoo estimates the game could sell at least 37 million copies in its opening week, generating up to $4.5 billion in global first-week retail bookings.