The anticipation for Grand Theft Auto 6 is officially breaking records—and apparently, basic human priorities. According to a survey conducted by Unwind Media across 1,347 US gamers, a staggering number of players are prepared to make drastic real-life sacrifices just to get their hands on Rockstar Games’ upcoming blockbuster one week ahead of schedule.
The Pet Dilemma: Sacrificing Four-Legged Friends
The headline-grabbing takeaway from the survey centers on just how far fans will go for early access:
- 7% of all surveyed gamers stated they would give up their pet for a month if it meant playing GTA 6 one week early.
- 13% of pre-order customers admitted they would make the same trade, effectively doubling the rate of non-pre-order players willing to part with their animals for early gameplay.
Ditching Intimacy for Vice City
Pets aren’t the only casualty of the hype train. When asked about their romantic relationships:
- 21% of respondents (more than 1 in 5 gamers) said they would gladly give up physical intimacy for a week of early access.
- Women led this category, with 25% willing to make the trade compared to 19% of men.
The Bonnie & Clyde Effect: Couples Playing Together
Despite the willingness of some to pause physical affection, the broader data shows that GTA 6 is shaping up to be a major shared experience for couples:
| Metric | Overall | Women | Men |
| Plan to play alongside partner | 53% | — | — |
| Enthusiastic about co-op crime sprees | — | 71% | 39% |
| View in-game romance mechanics as “cheating” | 8% | — | — |
While social media debates sparked viral discussions claiming that engaging with in-game romance options constitutes digital infidelity, only 8% of respondents agreed with that stance. Instead, 53% view the game as a shared activity, with women showing significantly higher enthusiasm (71% vs. 39%) for robbing convenience stores and cruising Vice City together.
Unprecedented Launch Fever
With Rockstar turning real-world Miami into a living promotional landscape, collaborating with the Miami Heat, and fan communities going so far as to track traffic and sound levels outside studio headquarters, the hype cycle is reaching its peak. Whether players are plotting co-op sessions with their partners or jokingly calculating the cost of temporary pet sitting, GTA 6 is proving to be a cultural juggernaut well before launch day.