WASHINGTON (WKRC) – The United States economy could lose up to a billion dollars in productivity due to the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, according to analysts.
According to The New York Post, citing a report from the International Business Times, approximately 1.5 million Americans plan to take the day off from work for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set for release on Nov. 19.
The report from The Times indicates that the United States could see an approximate $1 billion dip in output in a single day.
Analyst José García Montalvo told the publication that his figure is an academic projection rather than an official forecast.
Montalvo said he based the estimate on about 1.5 million absences and an average annual output of roughly $70,000 per U.S. worker, resulting in a short-term productivity decline of about 2%. Men ages 18 to 30 make up most of the absent workers, and the technology sector is expected to be hit hardest.
The Times noted that the $1 billion estimate that the United States stands to lose almost exactly matches what the game’s publisher, Take-Two Interactive, stands to gain from the much-anticipated release.
The Wall Street Journal meanwhile reported that the release of the game may cause a temporary “work blackout,” with some companies even opting to build the date into end-of-year packages as a perk.