GTA VI Set to Shake Up UAE Consumer Spending as Investors Eye Historic Launch
(MENAFN- Golin Mena) Dubai, United Arab Emirates – November 10, 2026: The upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) could have an impact on consumer spending in the UAE, as gamers prepare for one of the most anticipated releases in the entertainment industry, according to Josh Gilbert, etoro Lead Analyst APAC and Middle East.
With fans having waited 13 years for a new Grand Theft Auto title, the launch marks a significant moment for UAE gamers. GTA V only became officially available for purchase in the country last year, 12 years after its original release. GTA VI is expected to be the first title in the franchise to launch in the UAE alongside the rest of the world.
Commenting on the anticipated release, Josh Gilbert, etoro Lead Analyst APAC and Middle East, said: "Gamers have waited 13 years for a new Grand Theft Auto, and fans in the UAE waited 12 years just to buy GTA V officially, which only went on sale in the country last year. This will be the first time a GTA lands in the UAE on the same day as the rest of the world, so managers shouldn’t be too shocked by a wave of annual leave requests, or even a few sickies, next week. Thankfully, one quiet Thursday isn’t going to trouble the economy.
"The impact will be on where people spend, because money going on the game is money that isn’t going to the mall or the cinema that month, and Take-Two Interactive’s own management has pointed to softer NBA 2K sales as gamers saved up for GTA. At around AED 300, a little splurge on a release this highly anticipated might keep some shoppers away from the White Friday sales later this month.
"For markets, this is Take-Two’s moment. The last GTA took three days to reach USD 1 billion in sales back in 2013, and management is calling pre-orders for this one unprecedented, yet it left full-year bookings guidance at USD 8 billion to USD 8.2 billion, short of the roughly USD 8.6 billion the Street is looking for. That looks like management would rather under-promise ten days out until they can get a better read on demand. Even so, the shares rose about 4% after a quarterly bookings miss, which shows investors only care about one thing right now.
"Sony is the next best placed to benefit from the hardware side, given the game is console-only at launch and PlayStation takes a cut of every copy sold through its store, with the shares already up close to 13% over the past month. Xbox is a small part of a Microsoft story that trades on AI and cloud, so GTA won’t move the dial there. The bar for this launch couldn’t be much higher and when expectations are this lofty, a good launch won’t cut it, it needs to be a historic one."
With fans having waited 13 years for a new Grand Theft Auto title, the launch marks a significant moment for UAE gamers. GTA V only became officially available for purchase in the country last year, 12 years after its original release. GTA VI is expected to be the first title in the franchise to launch in the UAE alongside the rest of the world.
Commenting on the anticipated release, Josh Gilbert, etoro Lead Analyst APAC and Middle East, said: "Gamers have waited 13 years for a new Grand Theft Auto, and fans in the UAE waited 12 years just to buy GTA V officially, which only went on sale in the country last year. This will be the first time a GTA lands in the UAE on the same day as the rest of the world, so managers shouldn’t be too shocked by a wave of annual leave requests, or even a few sickies, next week. Thankfully, one quiet Thursday isn’t going to trouble the economy.
"The impact will be on where people spend, because money going on the game is money that isn’t going to the mall or the cinema that month, and Take-Two Interactive’s own management has pointed to softer NBA 2K sales as gamers saved up for GTA. At around AED 300, a little splurge on a release this highly anticipated might keep some shoppers away from the White Friday sales later this month.
"For markets, this is Take-Two’s moment. The last GTA took three days to reach USD 1 billion in sales back in 2013, and management is calling pre-orders for this one unprecedented, yet it left full-year bookings guidance at USD 8 billion to USD 8.2 billion, short of the roughly USD 8.6 billion the Street is looking for. That looks like management would rather under-promise ten days out until they can get a better read on demand. Even so, the shares rose about 4% after a quarterly bookings miss, which shows investors only care about one thing right now.
"Sony is the next best placed to benefit from the hardware side, given the game is console-only at launch and PlayStation takes a cut of every copy sold through its store, with the shares already up close to 13% over the past month. Xbox is a small part of a Microsoft story that trades on AI and cloud, so GTA won’t move the dial there. The bar for this launch couldn’t be much higher and when expectations are this lofty, a good launch won’t cut it, it needs to be a historic one."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment