GTA 6 Could Hurt Sports Performance in November, Steven Adams

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams has joked that the release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) could cause professional sports performances to drop across the board when the highly anticipated game launches in November.

Speaking during the Rockets’ media day on September 22, Adams told reporters to expect a noticeable decline in performance across professional sports once the game arrives. “You guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league, league-wide. GTA is dropping,” Adams said, joking that fans should watch the NFL and other leagues and expect performances to “plummet.”

Adams extended the joke beyond the athletes, saying coaches and scouts could also struggle to maintain their usual focus during the game’s launch period. He suggested that the disruption would be temporary, with performance returning to normal in December after players had finished playing the game.

The comments were made humorously, but they reflect the enormous anticipation surrounding Rockstar Games’ next Grand Theft Auto title. GTA 6 is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, placing its launch during both the NBA and NFL seasons.

The game is arriving roughly 13 years after Grand Theft Auto V, which was released in 2013.

Its long development cycle and the popularity of the franchise have generated significant interest among gamers, including professional athletes. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has also joked about waiting for a break or bye week before getting into the game.

For Adams, however, the message was simple: November could be a difficult month for athletes trying to balance their professional schedules with one of gaming’s biggest releases. Whether GTA 6 actually affects sporting performances remains to be seen, but Adams believes fans should be watching closely when the game arrives.