Key Takeaways
- Palworld developer Pocketpair is giving employees five days of special leave to celebrate the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6.
- The holiday runs from November 19 through November 23, 2026, allowing eligible employees to enjoy GTA 6 without worrying about their regular work schedules.
- Pocketpair jokingly described the break as an urgent business trip to Vice City.
- CEO Takuro Mizobe confirmed that he will also take time off to play GTA 6.
- The company reassured players that updates for Palworld and Craftopia will continue according to schedule.
- Logitech and other companies have also made special arrangements around GTA 6’s highly anticipated November 19 release.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is getting so much attention ahead of its November 19 launch that even people working in the video game industry are preparing to put their regular schedules on hold. The latest example comes from Pocketpair, the developer behind Palworld, which has officially announced five days of special leave for employees who want to experience Rockstar’s upcoming open-world game.
The Japanese studio shared the announcement through the official Palworld account on X, joking that employees had been granted special leave for an urgent five-day business trip to Vice City. The holiday will run from November 19 through November 23, 2026, giving staff a chance to enjoy GTA 6 during its launch window without having to worry about their usual responsibilities.
Considering that November 19 is the release date of one of the most anticipated games in history, Pocketpair clearly understands that plenty of its employees would rather be exploring Vice City than sitting in front of their work computers. And judging by the company’s announcement, management seems perfectly happy to let them do exactly that.
Pocketpair Gives Employees Five Days Off for GTA 6
Pocketpair’s announcement included a humorous internal letter explaining why the studio decided to introduce the special holiday. Addressed to all employees, the message acknowledged that millions of gamers around the world would be sitting at school or work on November 19, waiting for the opportunity to experience a new era of gaming.
The company then explained that such a historic occasion deserved its full attention and decided to grant special leave to employees planning to play Grand Theft Auto 6.
Instead of describing the break as ordinary paid time off, Pocketpair gave it a much more appropriate name: a five-day business trip to Vice City.
The internal notice explained that employees would be excused from their regular duties between November 19 and November 23 and encouraged to enjoy their time away from the office. It even ended with a friendly reminder hoping everyone would enjoy their trip and return safely.
There is one small detail worth mentioning. Although the holiday covers five calendar days, November 21 and 22 fall on Saturday and Sunday. That means the break effectively covers three regular working days: Thursday, November 19, Friday, November 20, and Monday, November 23.
Still, getting three additional working days off just to play a new video game is hardly a bad deal, especially when that game happens to be GTA 6.
Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe Will Also Take Time Off to Play GTA 6
It is not just regular Pocketpair employees who are looking forward to the launch. Company CEO Takuro Mizobe has also confirmed that he plans to take advantage of the special holiday.
Following the official announcement, Mizobe shared his own response on X, confirming that he would also be taking a break for a while to play GTA 6.
That makes the announcement even more entertaining. Rather than expecting employees to continue working while everyone else is busy discussing Rockstar’s latest game, Pocketpair’s leadership appears ready to join the fun.
The announcement also received attention from Palworld’s head of publishing, John “Bucky” Buckley, who joked that things might become a little quiet while the team enjoys its time in Vice City.
However, Pocketpair was careful to reassure players that the special holiday would not interfere with its existing development plans. The company specifically mentioned that update work for Palworld and Craftopia is progressing smoothly and is expected to continue according to schedule.
That should come as good news for players who might have been concerned about upcoming content being delayed because of the company’s temporary break.
Logitech and Other Companies Are Also Preparing for GTA 6
Pocketpair is not the only company recognizing just how big GTA 6’s launch could become. Several other businesses have also started making unusual arrangements around November 19, suggesting that Rockstar’s next Grand Theft Auto game is becoming a major event outside the gaming community.
Logitech recently announced a new employee benefit called Logi Game Day, which allows its approximately 7,000 employees to take an additional day off to enjoy a video game of their choice. The announcement arrived shortly before GTA 6’s release, and Logitech has made it clear that employees are welcome to use the benefit to explore Vice City on launch day.
The company believes gaming can offer benefits beyond entertainment, including better problem-solving skills, creativity, and opportunities to relax away from work. While the benefit is not exclusively designed for GTA 6, its timing makes the connection fairly obvious.
Another interesting example comes from Wardogs developer Team Soda. The studio encouraged players to take a break from its upcoming game and spend some time enjoying GTA 6 before returning for its next major update. That is an unusual approach, especially for a developer that would normally want players focused on its own release.
There are also signs that GTA 6 is affecting workplace schedules more broadly. Workforce data published by BambooHR in October found that paid time-off requests for November 19 were running nearly 13% higher than comparable dates in previous years. The company also found that 18% of surveyed salaried US workers planned to take launch day off.
It is worth noting that different reports have used different comparison periods, producing estimates ranging from 9% to 17%. Nevertheless, the overall trend is pretty clear: a considerable number of people are already planning their schedules around GTA 6.
GTA 6 Launch Is Becoming a Major Event Beyond Gaming
Rockstar’s upcoming release has gradually turned into a cultural event, with companies from completely different industries finding their own ways to participate in the excitement.
Even Popeyes has joined the GTA 6 hype with its limited-time Spice City Chicken Sandwich, which arrives at participating US restaurants on November 19 and remains available through November 22. The sandwich features two crispy chicken breast fillets, a toasted brioche bun, pickles, and a choice of spicy or regular mayonnaise.
For players planning to spend launch day exploring Vice City, it is another reminder that the GTA 6 release is receiving attention far beyond traditional gaming promotions. Those interested can read more about the Popeyes GTA 6-inspired Spice City Sandwich and its limited availability.
Meanwhile, internet providers have also introduced special offers to help customers prepare for the game’s download. Spectrum and Xfinity have announced temporary internet speed upgrades for eligible customers, giving players an opportunity to download GTA 6 faster ahead of launch.
Rockstar has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will take players back to Vice City as part of the larger state of Leonida, with Jason and Lucia at the center of its story.
Players preparing for launch can also check out our coverage of GTA 6 preload causing internet network congestion in the UK, which highlights the potential impact of millions of players downloading the game around the same time.
Pocketpair’s GTA 6 Holiday Is a Win for Its Employees
Giving employees additional time off for a major game release might sound like an unusual business decision, but Pocketpair has turned it into a genuinely entertaining announcement. Rather than pretending that nobody in the office is thinking about GTA 6, the studio has embraced the excitement and given its staff an opportunity to enjoy the launch properly.
It is also refreshing to see a game developer acknowledge that its employees are gamers themselves. People working on games do not necessarily spend every free moment thinking about development, and sometimes they just want to sit down and enjoy a massive new release like everyone else.
The reassurance about Palworld and Craftopia updates is important, too. Players will naturally want to know whether the break affects ongoing development, but Pocketpair has already indicated that its plans remain unchanged.
With GTA 6 launching on November 19, Pocketpair employees now have a pretty good excuse to spend several days away from work. The only question is whether other studios will follow the same approach before Rockstar finally opens the gates to Vice City.
For now, one thing is certain: Pocketpair’s employees have officially been given permission to disappear into GTA 6 for a few days. And considering how long fans have waited for this game, it is difficult to blame them.
For the latest release information, trailers, and announcements, players can visit the official Grand Theft Auto 6 website.
