Surveyed 1,519 Americans
Of the Americans we surveyed, 1,347 plan to or want to buy GTA VI.
The GTA VI Effect: Missed Work, Skipped Holidays, and Jealous Partners
A lot has changed since GTA V came out in 2013. Fans have started careers, gotten married, and had kids, but their excitement for the next game hasn't faded. Whether you're settling in for a long session or just need a quick game of solitaire to unwind, we wanted to know how fans are fitting GTA VI into their lives. We surveyed 1,347 GTA VI fans about their launch plans, sacrifices, and more. See how the game is changing fans' lives.
1,347GTA VI fans surveyed
51%of working launch-day buyers plan time off
1 in 4have had a child since GTA V
Nearly 1 in 3 fans expect another delay, and 44% of those buying it think it's overhyped.
Video game fans around the world have been waiting for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) for several years. After a couple of delays, the game is finally scheduled to release on November 19th. As the release date approaches, we set out to learn about fans’ anticipation, plans for the game, and more.
To do this, we surveyed Americans across the country who plan to play GTA VI. We asked if they plan to play on release day, how their lives have changed since GTA V was released in 2013, how their gameplay would impact holiday plans, and more. Read on to learn more about our findings.
Key Takeaways
51% of working GTA VI fans buying on launch day plan to take time off to play.
44% of GTA VI fans buying the game think it's overhyped.
1 in 4 GTA VI fans have had a child since GTA V came out in 2013.
Nearly 1 in 3 GTA VI fans expect the game to be delayed again.
1 in 10 GTA VI fans with holiday plans will skip or cut short Thanksgiving to play.
27% of GTA VI fans plan to buy a new console to play the game.
GTA VI Fans Launch Day Plans
It's been more than a decade since the last new Grand Theft Auto came out, and after a couple of pushed release dates, November 19th is finally starting to feel real. For the fans who pre-ordered GTA VI or plan to buy it on launch day, the date already comes with a plan attached. We asked them how they're clearing their schedules, what they're doing to get ready, and how the people in their lives feel about it.
Among working fans who will have GTA VI on launch day, either through a pre-order or a launch-day purchase, 51% plan to take time off to play, rising to 62% of those who pre-ordered. Many are planning on more than a quick day off, as 1 in 4 plan to take two or more days off for the game.
The most common launch plans are avoiding social media to dodge spoilers (50%), staying up all night playing (48%), and stocking up on snacks or takeout ahead of time (41%). Some fans are willing to let their social calendar slide as well, as 21% plan to cancel or reschedule plans with friends or family.
Most of these fans expect the first week to be a busy one, with 64% planning to play more than 10 hours. Some are going even further, as 8% expect to play more than 40 hours, the equivalent of a full-time work week.
How GTA VI Fans Are Planning for Launch Day
Among fans who pre-ordered GTA VI or plan to buy it on launch day, here's how they're clearing their schedules for November 19th.
Taking Time Off to Play
Days off planned for launch, among fans who work
51%
of working launch-day buyers plan to take time off to play.
1 day2-3 days4 days or moreNot taking time off
What GTA VI Fans Buying on Launch Day Plan to Do Around Release
RankPlan% Who Say It
1Avoid social media to dodge spoilers50%
2Stay up all night playing48%
3Stock up on snacks or takeout ahead of time41%
4Cancel or reschedule plans with friends or family21%
5Call in sick16%
6Lie about why they're taking time off10%
7Skip school or class4%
64%
of GTA VI fans buying on launch day expect to play more than 10 hours in the first week.
| Time off | All | Pre-ordered | Buying at launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | 26% | 30% | 25% |
| 2-3 days | 21% | 25% | 19% |
| 4 days or more | 4% | 7% | 3% |
| Not taking time off | 49% | 38% | 53% |
| Rank | Plan | % Who Say It |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avoid social media to dodge spoilers | 50% |
| 2 | Stay up all night playing | 48% |
| 3 | Stock up on snacks or takeout ahead of time | 41% |
| 4 | Cancel or reschedule plans with friends or family | 21% |
| 5 | Call in sick | 16% |
| 6 | Lie about why they're taking time off | 10% |
| 7 | Skip school or class | 4% |
64% of GTA VI fans buying on launch day expect to play more than 10 hours in the first week. Plans: respondents could select more than one option.
After seeing how fans plan to spend launch week, we wanted to know how the game is fitting into their relationships, and we found that many couples plan to share it. Among fans in relationships, 53% plan to play GTA VI with their partner, including 71% of female fans and 39% of male fans.
Other partners are already preparing to take a back seat, as 21% of fans in relationships say their partner has joked about losing them to GTA VI, rising to 31% of fans who pre-ordered. The game has also caused some real disagreements, with 17% of fans in relationships saying they've argued with their partner about how much time they'll spend playing and 14% saying they've argued about how much money they're spending on it. Gen X fans in relationships are more likely to have argued about playtime than millennials, at 22% compared with 14%.
Lucia, one of the game's two main characters, has come up in some homes too, with 12% of fans in relationships saying their partner has joked about being jealous of her. Another 8% say their partner seems genuinely jealous of her.
With Thanksgiving falling one week after the release, 1 in 10 fans with holiday plans will skip or cut short Thanksgiving to play, rising to 23% of those who pre-ordered. Gen Z fans are the most likely to let the game change their holiday, as 23% of those with plans say GTA VI will affect their Thanksgiving, compared with 14% of Gen X fans.
GTA VI at Home: Partners and the Holidays
How GTA VI is showing up in fans' relationships, and what it means for Thanksgiving one week after launch
What GTA VI Fans in Relationships Say About the Game and Their Partner
RankExperience% Who Say It
1Plan to play it together53%
2Partner has joked about losing them to GTA VI21%
3Have argued about how much time they'll spend playing17%
4Have argued about how much money they're spending on it14%
5Partner has joked about being jealous of Lucia12%
6Partner seems genuinely jealous of or concerned about Lucia8%
How the Game Impacts Thanksgiving Plans
Thanksgiving falls one week after launch. Here's how GTA VI fans with holiday plans will handle it.
1 in 10
GTA VI fans will skip or cut short Thanksgiving to play.
23%
of fans who pre-ordered will skip or cut short Thanksgiving to play.
| Rank | Experience | Overall | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plan to play it together | 53% | 39% | 71% |
| 2 | Partner has joked about losing them to GTA VI | 21% | 22% | 21% |
| 3 | Have argued about how much time they'll spend playing | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| 4 | Have argued about how much money they're spending on it | 14% | 14% | 15% |
| 5 | Partner has joked about being jealous of Lucia | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| 6 | Partner seems genuinely jealous of or concerned about Lucia | 8% | 7% | 10% |
Among GTA VI fans with holiday plans, 1 in 10 will skip or cut short Thanksgiving to play, including 23% of fans who pre-ordered.
Trade-Offs Fans Would Make for Early Access
The release date is set, but that doesn't stop fans from wishing they could start sooner. To see how much an early start is really worth to them, we asked fans what they'd be willing to go without for a month in exchange for playing GTA VI one week before everyone else.
Dating apps topped the list, with 63% of fans who use them willing to give them up for early access. Alcohol came in second (53% of those who drink), followed by smoking (43% of those who smoke). Social media (42%) and fast food (41%) round out the top five, and coffee (33%) and streaming services (31%) follow close behind.
Some fans would go further than giving up their daily habits, as 1 in 5 sexually active fans would give up sex for a month to play one week early. Female fans are more willing to make that trade, with 25% of sexually active female fans saying they'd give up sex compared with 19% of male fans. Phones were harder to part with, though 16% of fans would still give up their phone outside of work for a month, and 7% of pet owners would give up their pet.
Male fans are more willing to log off for an early start, with 46% saying they'd give up social media for a month compared with 38% of female fans. Gen Z fans are more willing than millennials to give up streaming services, at 40% compared with 28%, and Gen Z coffee drinkers are more willing to give up coffee, at 43% compared with 28% of millennials.
Fans who pre-ordered the game would give up the most to play early, including dating apps (73%), social media (63%), sex (32%), and even their pet (13% of pet owners). Longtime players aren't far behind, as 69% of fans who played GTA V at its 2013 release would give up dating apps and 60% would give up alcohol.
What GTA VI Fans Would Give Up for a Month to Play One Week Early
To play GTA VI one week early, here's what fans would go without for a month.
RankItem% Who Say It
1Dating apps63%
2Alcohol53%
3Smoking43%
4Social media42%
5Fast food41%
6Coffee33%
7Streaming services31%
8Sex21%
9Phone (outside of work)16%
10Pet7%
Note: Percentages exclude GTA VI fans who answered N/A for each item
| Rank | Item | All fans | Pre-ordered | Played GTA V in 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dating apps | 63% | 73% | 69% |
| 2 | Alcohol | 53% | 60% | 60% |
| 3 | Smoking | 43% | 52% | 45% |
| 4 | Social media | 42% | 63% | 49% |
| 5 | Fast food | 41% | 55% | 47% |
| 6 | Coffee | 33% | 49% | 38% |
| 7 | Streaming services | 31% | 51% | 36% |
| 8 | Sex | 21% | 32% | 23% |
| 9 | Phone (outside of work) | 16% | 27% | 20% |
| 10 | Pet | 7% | 13% | 7% |
Percentages exclude GTA VI fans who answered N/A for each item.
How Life Has Changed Since GTA V
In the years between the release of GTA V and GTA VI, a lot of life has happened. Some of today's fans were still in high school when the last game launched, while others have since started families of their own. We wanted to see just how much has changed for fans in that time.
Nearly every GTA VI fan we surveyed has played GTA V (95%), and 39% played it when it came out in 2013. Male fans were more likely to have played it at release, at 46% compared with 32% of female fans. That early history carries over to the new game, as 62% of fans who pre-ordered GTA VI played GTA V at its 2013 release.
Since GTA V came out, the most common milestones for fans are changing careers (46%), graduating from high school or college (46%), and starting their first full-time job (41%). Many have also moved to a different state (28%), gotten married (27%), or bought a home (27%), and 1 in 4 have had a child.
Gen Z fans have done much of their growing up between the two games, with 85% graduating from high school or college and 66% starting their first full-time job since GTA V's release. For millennial fans, the years in between have centered on careers and family, as 52% have changed careers, 36% have had a child, and 36% have gotten married. Gen X fans have seen some of the biggest changes at home, with 13% becoming grandparents and 14% getting divorced since GTA V's release.
How GTA VI Fans' Lives Have Changed Since GTA V's 2013 Release
GTA V came out more than 13 years ago. Since then, fans have finished school, started careers, and had kids.
When GTA VI Fans First Played GTA V
95% of GTA VI fans have played GTA V.
39%28%28%5%
At its 2013 releaseWithin the first yearMore than a year laterNever played it
What's Happened Since GTA V
RankLife event% Who Say It
1Changed careers46%
1Graduated from high school or college46%
3Started their first full-time job41%
4Moved to a different state28%
5Got married27%
5Bought a home27%
7Had a child26%
8Got divorced6%
9Became a grandparent3%
| When | % Who Say It |
|---|---|
| At its 2013 release | 39% |
| Within the first year | 28% |
| More than a year later | 28% |
| Never played it | 5% |
| Rank | Life event | All fans | Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Changed careers | 46% | 40% | 52% | 40% |
| 1 | Graduated from high school or college | 46% | 85% | 36% | 9% |
| 3 | Started their first full-time job | 41% | 66% | 39% | 7% |
| 4 | Moved to a different state | 28% | 28% | 29% | 24% |
| 5 | Got married | 27% | 17% | 36% | 14% |
| 5 | Bought a home | 27% | 13% | 34% | 28% |
| 7 | Had a child | 26% | 12% | 36% | 17% |
| 8 | Got divorced | 6% | 2% | 6% | 14% |
| 9 | Became a grandparent | 3% | 0% | 0% | 13% |
Life events: respondents could select more than one option.
How We Surveyed GTA VI Fans
In this study, we set out to learn how Americans feel about Grand Theft Auto VI's upcoming release and how far fans will go to play it.
Asked about plans and expectations
We asked about their purchase plans, release-day plans, and expectations for the game.
Looked at life at home
We also asked about the game's impact on their relationships and holiday plans.
Narrowed release-day questions
Questions about release-day plans were asked only of the 663 respondents who have pre-ordered the game or plan to buy it on launch day.