Australian firms anticipate surge in sick days as GTA VI launches
Employers expect a notable rise in employee absences on November 19 when Grand Theft Auto VI becomes available, with potential economic costs estimated at around $70 million.
Australian businesses are preparing for a wave of employee absences on Thursday, November 19, when the long-awaited video game Grand Theft Auto VI is released. Rockstar Games owner Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick told a conference in Las Vegas that he expects many people to call in sick on the launch day.
PR consultant Eitan Soloducho estimates the day could cost the Australian economy at least $70 million, based on the assumption that one in 100 of the country’s roughly 14 million workers will take a sick day to play the game. Data from Deputy, a rostering-app provider, shows that previous blockbuster releases have driven absenteeism higher; for example, when Overwatch 2 launched on a Thursday in August 2023, the share of unworked shifts rose from a typical 6.55 % to 12.7 %.
“The real trap for businesses is the day-before download spike,” said Deputy chief technology officer Ciaran Hale, noting that players often clear their schedules to download the game before midnight release.
Sony and Microsoft have encouraged early pre-loading, which may reduce the pre-launch spike. Payroll data from Employment Hero indicates that leave requests for November 19 are up 29 % compared with the same Thursday a year earlier, driven largely by men aged 18-44.
Individual workers are also planning time off. Brendan Delacoe, a 31-year-old truck driver in Melbourne, told his manager he would need the launch day and the following day off, creating a four-day weekend that will likely be unpaid.
“I just messaged it straight up, like, GTA’s dropping, so there’s no hiding it,” he said.
University of Melbourne emeritus professor Mark Wooden expects a measurable hit to productivity, though he doubts it will appear in national statistics. He notes that many modern office roles allow employees to work from home, potentially enabling them to play the game while on the clock.
Analyst Josh Gilbert of eToro suggested that money spent on the game would otherwise be spent on other leisure activities such as pubs or cinemas.
Some employers have chosen to grant the day off. Casey Jones, head of Medical Marketing Group, said his staff can take the day off or swap it for another day, adding that he himself looks forward to playing.
The Fair Work Ombudsman reminded employers that paid sick leave is intended for genuine illness and that evidence may be required, while unpaid leave must be agreed upon by the employer.