Rockstar’s highly anticipated sequel to GTA 5 is going to cause people to call in sick en masse, according to Take-Two’s CEO.
After several delays, GTA 6 is set to finally launch on November 19 this year, in what will be the biggest gaming event of 2026… and perhaps ever.
There are still some looming questions around the game’s price, the online component, and whether it could be delayed again, but based on the historic record-breaking launch of GTA 5, there’s no doubt it will be another massive sales success.
Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick is all too aware of this, and during a recent conference, said how he expects many people to call in ‘sick’ from work when GTA 6 does finally come out.
As reported by IGN, Zelnick said he does ‘think a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19’, as they strive to make history with the landmark title.
‘What we think about is making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth, in history – and it’s a pretty daunting challenge,’ Zelnick added. ‘If we do that, and if we’re of service to our customers, then the upside will take care of itself.’
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Funnily enough, ‘GTA 5 flu’ was a common term around the launch of Rockstar’s last GTA title in 2013, as people pulled sickies in order to play the game as soon as possible. Which is going to be easier to do in November than its previous release date of May.
At the moment, the big question is when Rockstar will release another trailer, and launch pre-order pages, for GTA 6. Some fans have put stock in a delayed Take-Two financial call, which is set to take place on May 21, as a sign of some kind of announcement.
Zelnick has previously said marketing for the game will begin in the summer, which might be an indication of when to expect another trailer. Two clips have been released so far, with the last one arriving on May 6 last year.
Beyond GTA 6, Take-Two’s CEO recently gave an indication that L.A. Noire could be making a comeback, and there are rumours around a current-gen upgrade for Red Dead Redemption 2.
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