Creator of One of Steam’s Most Successful Games Surrenders to GTA 6 and Will Give Employees 5 Days Off to Play the Sandbox

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The launch of GTA 6 caused a 17% increase in vacation requests.
• Pocketpair, the studio behind Palworld, is offering its employees 5 days off so they can play Grand Theft Auto 6.
• The company assures fans that development of updates for Palworld and Craftopia will continue as planned.

Few video games have the media impact of Grand Theft Auto VI, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of all time. The action game has also caught the attention of developers across the industry, who are eager to experience the story of Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval.

With this in mind, the community praised the thoughtful gesture from the studio behind one of the most successful games in Steam history. The company decided to offer its employees up to 5 days off so they can enjoy Rockstar Games’ sandbox without any worries.

Palworld Developer Will Give Employees Time Off to Play GTA 6

The open-world game will debut on November 19, 2026, and nothing or no one will stop it from arriving in stores on its scheduled release date. Many people have already made the necessary preparations and requested time off from work to take part in the launch, while others will conveniently call in sick that day.

Fortunately, some companies have taken the initiative and decided to give their employees time off so they can play GTA 6 during its official launch. One of them is Pocketpair, the studio responsible for one of the most successful games of the last decade: Palworld, which attracted more than 2 million concurrent players on Steam in early 2024.

The open-world title, previously known as “Pokémon with guns,” remains very popular and maintains a highly active player base. That’s why its developers are still working on new updates and DLC, as well as other related projects.

However, for this special occasion, employees at the Japanese studio will be allowed to take time off work and join the millions of players planning to play Grand Theft Auto 6 toward the end of next week.

In a statement shared on social media, Pocketpair announced that it will offer 5 days of vacation to every employee who wants to try Rockstar Games’ title. The company described the game’s launch as a “historic occasion” and believes its employees deserve the chance to be part of it.

“On November 19, millions of players around the world will be sitting at school or work, gazing wistfully out the window, knowing that a new era of gaming is about to begin. At Pocketpair, we believe a historic occasion deserves our full attention,” the announcement reads.

“All employees who intend to play Grand Theft Auto VI 6 will be exempt from their usual duties and are encouraged to take a business trip to Vice City,” the company said in its official statement.

Companies Are Giving Employees Time Off to Celebrate the Launch of Grand Theft Auto 6

Pocketpair’s vacation period will run from November 19 to November 23, 2026, covering an entire weekend. And yes, the company wanted to avoid any controversy, confirming that development of upcoming updates for Palworld and Craftopia will continue “as scheduled.” This means the time off will not affect production of new content.

This case demonstrates the enormous excitement surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6, which only games such as Monster Hunter and Dragon Quest can match. And yes, the company behind Palworld isn’t the only one giving its employees time off to mark the release of Take-Two Interactive’s title.

Hanneke Faber, Logitech’s CEO, announced that work would be suspended on November 19, meaning most of the company’s employees will have the day off to play GTA 6 or another video game of their choice.

Similarly, California-based automotive parts manufacturer Burger Motorsports said in a social media statement that it would close its doors during the launch of Rockstar Games’ project. Additionally, a report revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 caused a 17% increase in vacation requests.

Many people have requested time off from school or work so they can play the new GTA.

But tell us: Are you planning to skip work or school? Let us know in the comments.