Canadian Truck Manufacturer Shuts Down for Two Days So Employees Can Play GTA 6

The launch of Grand Theft Auto VI is already having an impact far beyond the gaming industry. Canadian truck manufacturer Edison Motors has announced that it will temporarily suspend operations for two full days—November 19 and 20—to allow employees to enjoy Rockstar Games' long-awaited blockbuster. The unusual decision quickly went viral, highlighting just how significant GTA 6's release has become as a global entertainment event.

In an official letter signed by CEO Chace Barber, the company explained that management reviewed vacation requests, productivity forecasts, and what it described as an "unusually high level of excitement" across the workforce before deciding to close the factory. According to the memo, many employees had already informed management they planned to spend the launch exploring Vice City, making normal business operations unrealistic during those two days.

The announcement humorously states that regular production will resume once employees have had enough time to "conduct important research in Vice City." The company also joked that some staff members would likely begin playing at midnight on launch day and might not be "fully functional" until after the weekend. Rather than resisting the inevitable wave of vacation requests, Edison Motors chose to embrace the excitement and turn the release into a company-wide event.

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a PC version yet to be announced. As anticipation continues to reach unprecedented levels, stories like Edison Motors' temporary shutdown demonstrate the cultural impact of Rockstar's next blockbuster long before it even reaches players. With analysts already predicting record-breaking sales, GTA 6 is proving to be more than just a video game—it has become one of the biggest entertainment events of the decade.