'GTA flu': over 2 million UK workers plan time off for GTA 6 launch
According to Workplace Journal, one in 12 UK workers plans to take 19 November 2026, the GTA 6 launch day, off work. That is about 2.1 million people.
Author: Editorial teamPublished: 2 min read
Contents
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) is scheduled for release on Thursday, 19 November 2026. The date has been postponed several times. Ahead of the launch, the term "GTA flu" is back in the UK, referring to feigned illness that some gamers use to explain an absence from work.
How many workers plan to be absent
Citing Workplace Journal, Polish Express reports that one in 12 UK workers intends to take 19 November off. That is about 2.1 million people. A further 4% want to take several days off, and 6% plan to change their hours or move to a different shift.
According to the same data, 20% of remote workers say they will play GTA 6 during working hours.
Not the first time
The term "GTA flu" appeared in British and American media as far back as GTA: Vice City (2002) and GTA: San Andreas (2004). For GTA V in 2013, The Telegraph reported at the time that 46% of gamers surveyed had planned time off work or school on launch day.
According to Polish Express, some workers take planned leave on launch day or the day after. If a manager refuses, they report a "sudden illness". Increasingly, citing USA Daily, workers openly give the GTA VI launch as their reason.
Scale in the US
Polish Express also cites estimates for the United States: more than 1.5 million people may not turn up for work on launch day, and productivity losses in launch week could reach $1 billion. This applies to the US only, not the UK.
What this means for you
Workers in the UK should remember that annual leave needs an employer's approval, and reporting sickness without being ill can have consequences at work. Polish Express notes that the rules on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) have changed: according to the outlet, SSP is now payable from the first day of illness, whereas previously it was paid from the third day. It is worth checking the SSP rules and conditions on the government website or in your employment contract.
Employers, according to the source, are already counting the potential losses from absence on launch day.
Sources
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- Cover: „ps4, playstation, playstation 4, playstation slim, joy-pad”, author: InspiredImages, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
- Photo 1: „office, sitting room, executive, business, desk”, author: MagicDesk, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
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