Staggering number of Americans would abandon their pets to play GTA 6 early

A shocking number of American gamers say they would give up their pets, sex, and even some of their favorite habits just to play GTA 6 a week before everyone else.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 finally set to launch on November 19, 2026, the wait is almost over. However, after 13 years without a new mainline GTA game, some fans are apparently willing to sacrifice just about anything to get into Vice City sooner.

According to a survey conducted by Unwind Media and reported by the New York Post, nearly 10% of pet-owning gamers said they would be willing to give up their pets in exchange for playing GTA 6 one week early.

And somehow, that’s not even the only wild statistic.

25% of women would give up sex for an early copy of GTA 6

The survey, which involved more than 1,300 gamers, also found that over 20% would give up sex for an entire month to get their hands on Rockstar’s upcoming blockbuster seven days early.

Interestingly, women were more willing to make that sacrifice than men, with 25% saying they would forgo sex compared to 19% of male respondents.

Rockstar Games

Things got even more extreme among gamers who had already pre-ordered GTA 6. In that group, 32% said they would give up sex for a month, while a staggering 13% would surrender their pets.

Apparently, man’s best friend is no match for Vice City.

Pets and sex weren’t the only things players were willing to sacrifice, either. The survey found that 53% would give up alcohol, 43% would quit smoking, and more than 40% would ditch fast food or social media.

Coffee and streaming services were also on the chopping block, although smartphones proved harder to part with, as just 16% were willing to give theirs up.

Of course, these are hypothetical responses from surveyed gamers, not evidence that millions of Americans are actually preparing to abandon their dogs.

Rockstar Games

Still, the findings highlight just how ridiculous the anticipation surrounding GTA 6 has become.

The survey also found that more than half of employed adult gamers planned to take time off for the release, rising to over 62% among those who had pre-ordered.

As Dexerto previously reported, an estimated 1.5 million Americans could miss work on launch day, potentially costing the US economy $1 billion in lost productivity.

One California car company has already announced it will pause operations because employees want to play, while a US Army unit even offered soldiers four days off as an incentive to re-enlist.

And for American gamers desperate to play as soon as possible, there’s another catch. North America is among the last regions scheduled to unlock GTA 6, with New Zealand players getting access hours earlier.

Thankfully, that wait is measured in hours rather than weeks. Your dog should be safe.