[Industry News] 1 in 3 gamers taking time off work for GTA VI launch

This is a press release posted alongside our usual editorial content.

Traffic to Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) offer pages on the world’s largest digital marketplace G2A.COM, surged 65-fold when Rockstar Games pre-orders opened, reflecting growing excitement as the game enters its final three months before release.

New marketplace data shows that traffic on websites related to GTA VI increased by over 6000% on 25 June compared with the average level recorded before May. Demand remained high over the following days, with average traffic between 25 and 30 June up to almost 3000% against the same baseline.

The initial pre-order rush continued into July, with traffic to GTA VI offer pages remaining almost 1,100% above the pre-May average. Last month alone accounts for almost half (48%) of all GTA VI traffic recorded on G2A.COM between January and July.

Demand has also spread across markets. GTA VI reached the #1 spot in G2A.COM‘s wishlist rankings in 45 countries, including the US and UK, and ranked in the Top 10 in 46 countries overall.

Excitement grows as players prepare to enter Vice City

The findings arrive one week before the global gaming industry gathers in Cologne for Gamescom 2026. The marketplace activity is also supported by new research among nearly 1,500 G2A.COM users, revealing the level of anticipation behind the demand.

Two-thirds (67%) rank GTA VI among their three most anticipated games of the year, with more than half (51%) placing it at number one. More than half (53%) describe themselves as extremely or very excited about the release, while 50% say they are more excited about GTA VI than any previous instalment.

That excitement spans generations of players across the franchise. Six in ten users (64%) first experienced GTA during the GTA III, Vice City or San Andreas era, while one in nine (9%) expect GTA VI to be their first game in the series.

Players are also eager to begin exploring the game as soon as it becomes available. More than half (56%) intend to start playing within the first 24 hours of launch, including a third (33%) who hope to begin within the first few minutes.

About three in ten (29%) have taken time off work or school to play GTA VI, and a quarter (24%) plan to spend more than 40 hours playing in the first week. Moreover, two in five (42%) are very or quite likely to adjust plans with friends and family to make time for the game.

However, not everyone is planning to spend as much time on the game. Two in five (39%) expect to play for fewer than three hours in its first week, while the same number (38%) believe the launch will make little difference to their usual routine.

Katarzyna Jakubiec, Chief Business Officer at G2A.COM, said:

“Blockbuster releases such as GTA VI are becoming major cultural and retail moments, much like a long-awaited film or live event. The latest instalment is bringing together people who grew up with the series and those preparing to experience GTA for the first time.

“From our perspective, GTA VI isn’t generating a single peak of attention; it’s creating a series of engagement waves. Every new piece of information fuels another round of interest, and we expect this pattern to continue in the months leading up to release.

“People will experience the launch in different ways. Some are setting aside dedicated time to explore the game immediately, while others plan to enjoy it more gradually. What connects them is the anticipation that continues to build as the release approaches.”