Payroll managers and internet technicians across Australia are preparing for the release of the most eagerly anticipated video game in years.

Grand Theft Auto VI became available for download for Australian gamers last week to those who pre-ordered the game, but users will wait until Thursday to be able to play it.

It has been 13 years since the last instalment in the franchise was released and Grand Theft Auto V has consistently been one of the top selling games in Australia for the whole time.

GTA 6 has been previously delayed twice, from 2025 and May 2026.

Many workplaces, particularly those with a high proportion of young male employees, are wary of a spike in sick days and leave requests from dedicated gamers wanting to play the new release instantly.

The Fair Work Ombudsman even went so far as to make a tongue-in-cheek Instagram post on November 4 hinting to those looking to chuck a “GTA sickie” that they risked more than embarrassment.

“Your employer can ask for evidence that shows you weren’t able to work because of an illness or injury,” the post warned.

To avoid the risk, many others are taking the safer approach and applying for annual leave.

Requests for leave for next Thursday from males aged between 18 and 44 are up 84 per cent compared to the most comparable day last year, online platform Employment Hero reported.

“Despite making up less than a third of the workforce our data tracks, they account for three-quarters of the increase in leave,” Employment Hero’s Lisa Cowie said.

“While we can’t conclusively point to a reason for this significant spike, when you have an event that has mass appeal among this demographic – such as the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI – inferences can be made as to which factors could be driving the increase.

“The good news for employers is that people are planning ahead and booking leave weeks in advance, giving managers time to arrange any required cover for what seems to be a big day of gaming.”

It’s a pattern noted around the world, with economists in the United States estimating a US$1-billion ($1.5 billion) loss in productivity due to GTA 6’s release.

GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida, Rockstar’s version of Florida. Photo: Rockstar 

However, organising leave may just part of the issue for some GTA fans. Developer Rockstar Games warns the game may require up to 212 gigabytes of storage on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X consoles – about 10 times the size of the previous instalment.

Unlike most games, the physical copies of GTA 6 contain a code for a digital download rather than a disc.

The huge download required could make a mammoth strain on many households’ internet connections.

Depending on your NBN plan speed, downloading the game in its entirety could take up to 39 hours, comparison website Finder said.

There was a 10 per cent rise in demand across the NBN network when the game first became available for pre-loading on Tuesday, a spokesman for NBN Co said.

“We expect much of the downloading to take place earlier in the pre-loading period and don’t expect any traffic records on launch day,” the spokesman said.

“This game download is about 40 per cent of what the average home downloads in a month, so NBN speed plans will make a big difference to how soon gamers can start playing.”

-with AAP