Around 12.5 million U.S. gamers plan to take paid time off or adjust work and school schedules for Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, according to PCMag survey data reported by Beebom. The share of Gen Z players wanting time off rises from 8 percent to 13 percent, according to Beebom’s summary of the PCMag survey.
Men plan schedule changes at 9%, compared with 7% of women, a difference Beebom labels slight. More than half of adult gamers in the U.S. are upgrading consoles this season, with Grand Theft Auto VI cited as a clear priority.
Beebom, drawing on PCMag data, describes Grand Theft Auto VI as the game with the most pre-orders ever. Push Square reports that Grand Theft Auto VI has been available to pre-order since June 25, 2026, so pre-orders will have been open for almost five months by the November 19 launch. Strauss Zelnick said, “running far in excess of our expectations.”
Push Square also cites a projection linked to Take-Two’s financial reporting that Grand Theft Auto VI will be the largest entertainment release in history. Beebom notes that Grand Theft Auto VI arrives 13 years after the previous entry in the series.
The long gap means the game will be the first in the franchise for many in Gen Alpha and later cohorts, according to Beebom. Many Gen Z players will also be playing their first Grand Theft Auto game because Grand Theft Auto 5 has been available for ages.
Beebom reports that 44% of gamers identify stress relief and relaxation as the main reason they play games during the holiday season. Some gamers plan to hold off for seasonal sales and lower prices because console hardware costs are rising during a RAM shortage.
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