Why Germans are taking 38% more leave for GTA 6

Germany is going full throttle for GTA 6. Workers are filing 38% more holiday requests for Thursday 19 November 2026 than usual, all to play Rockstar’s blockbuster on day one.

According to German tabloid Bild, citing HR data from Personio, the surge is even sharper for overtime recovery days—up 58%. The Thursday itself stands out like a sore thumb. Personio crunched anonymised data from 1.6 million European employees to confirm the spike.

#It’s not just Germany

The holiday rush isn’t staying at home. Remote, a rival to Personio, reports a global 32% jump in leave requests. Italy leads the pack with nearly double the normal absences that day. India follows at +60%, Ireland at +57%. Some bosses are going the extra mile—offering gaming time off or even calling it “training leave” to let staff fire up GTA 6.

#Gen Z is powering the push

Who’s booking all those days? Mostly Gen Z guys born between 1995 and 2010. Remote’s numbers show a jaw-dropping 120% surge in requests from this group. Pre-loading is also fuelling the fire: United Internet says PlayStation and Xbox data traffic spiked tenfold the night before launch, letting players boot up GTA 6 right at midnight on 19 November.

#Why this launch is massive

This isn’t just another game drop. GTA V has already shifted 230 million copies since 2013, and thirteen years of memes have turned expectations into a cultural event. Take-Two, Rockstar’s parent company, says pre-orders have shattered every record. Early estimates put first-week sales at up to $5.2 billion. In-game, you’ll play as a pair of outlaws on the run.

Mark your calendar: Thursday 19 November 2026 is the day GTA 6 hits the streets.