According to gaming folklore, Square Enix must release new Dragon Quest games on the weekend in Japan. Why? Because the series is so popular, it would disrupt the country’s economy if everyone skipped school and work to go play. Well, the hotly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 releases on a Thursday (November 19), so prepare for some major schedule disruptions.

A new PCMag gaming survey finds that 8% of US adult gamers plan to take PTO or adjust their work or school schedules to play. When we do the math, that translates to an estimated 12.5 million US gamers who plan to take time off just to play Rockstar’s new open-world opus.

Curious to learn more? Let’s break down the numbers.

Key Findings: Vice City’s Siren Song

  • 12.5 million US adults plan to take PTO or adjust their work/school schedule to play GTA 6.

  • Gen Z leads in adjusting their schedules for GTA 6, at 13%. 

  • Men (9%) are slightly more likely than women (7%) to adjust their calendars to play the new Vice City game.

  • With GTA 6 launching exclusively on current-generation consoles, 7% of gamers plan to upgrade their machines for this game or another major release like it.

  • Despite the popularity of GTA 6, 68% of US adults don’t plan to play it at release.

gamers are clearing their calendars for gta 6

(Credit: Cole Kan/PCMag/Getty/Rockstar)

Young and Restless

GTA 6 is a decidedly adult game, but it’s unsurprising that the most passionate fans skew younger, with 13% of Gen Z planning to take time off to play. Also, while the game stars a criminal couple (Jason and the franchise’s first major female protagonist, Lucia), men are still more likely to block off their calendars to play than women (9% versus 7%).

Schedule changes for GTA 6

(Credit: Cole Kan/PCMag/Rockstar)

GTA on Your Terms

GTA 6 will likely be a huge, time-consuming game, but what’s so innovative about the series is that it allows you to tackle all it has to offer at your own pace. So many adult gamers are finding ways to squeeze GTA 6 into their existing schedules. Of those we surveyed, 14% say they plan to fit the game into their normal routines, while 4% plan to clear their evenings and weekends to play.

All In

For the truly committed, the GTA 6 launch is a top priority, which means everything else gets paused. Three percent of players plan to take two or more days off to play, another 3% will take one full day, and 2% will take a half day or adjust their hours. 

Law-Abiding Citizens

Even the biggest game in the world isn’t for everyone, though. We found that 7% of players don’t have set plans for engaging with GTA 6. And if you’re feeling left out for not planning to play GTA 6 at all when it comes out, know that 68% of respondents are on your side. 

Got Game? Get Set for GTA 6 and More With Our Holiday Office Hours from the Labs

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Got Game? Get Set for GTA 6 and More With Our Holiday Office Hours from the Labs

The GTA Difference

The fact that so many of those planning to play GTA 6 are changing their schedules speaks to how singular this title is. GTA is as popular as it is controversial, and GTA 6 specifically is evoking nostalgia for the beloved Grand Theft Auto: Vice City from 25 years ago. 

After GTA 5 smashed all sorts of sales records, it became clear that whatever came next would have unprecedented expectations to live up to. Not only do we want to play GTA 6, but we’re also curious to finally see it. This is a game that can drop an exclusive reveal on Netflix as a flex, after all. 

Recommended by Our Editors

With GTA 6 launching exclusively on current-generation consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), 7% of US adults actually plan to upgrade specifically for it (or another major release like it). The anticipation is real.

Whether you’re taking time off or not, make sure you’re ready by buying the best console for GTA 6 and deciding on the right edition to purchase. And if you already have the game, here’s how to preload it.

Methodology

PCMag commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,024 adults, of whom 1,154 qualified as gamers. Fieldwork was undertaken Oct. 23-27, 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).

Of the 1,154 gamers, 8% plan to take PTO or adjust their work/school schedule to play GTA 6. The 12.5 million figure is based on multiplying the gamer rate by the 8% response rate, then multiplying the result by the 2025 18+ US population figure calculated by the US Census Bureau: 269,763,509 x 0.5702 (gamers) x 0.0815 (updated NET datapoint) = 12,536,261.

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