Key Takeaways
- • Logitech, a $13 billion technology company, is giving its 7,000 global employees one day off to play video games under a program called "Logi Game Day," usable any time from now through November 2027.
- • CEO Hanneke Faber says the initiative reflects a belief that engagement in gaming supports workplace performance, stating "It's time to retire the stereotype that gaming is a waste of time."
- • Logitech cites its own study of 900 adults and 100 gamers across nine countries, in which 4 in 5 respondents said gaming makes them more confident handling real-life challenges and helps them stay calm under pressure.
- • The timing aligns with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, with Faber planning to play on the day and the office being converted into a gaming lounge for a company streaming event.
- • Take-Two Interactive, GTA VI's publisher, raised its fiscal 2027 net bookings outlook to an estimated $8.2 billion, compared with $5.65 billion in fiscal 2025.
Summary
Logitech is giving its roughly 7,000 global employees a day off to play video games ahead of the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, according to Fortune. The initiative, dubbed "Logi Game Day," is open to all staff, from full-time workers to interns, who can take one day off between now and the same date next year to play a game of their choice. Chief Executive Hanneke Faber, whose company she describes as having a $13 billion valuation, said in a statement that gaming is often unfairly dismissed, noting that the company designs products for both work and play and sees how engagement in one supports performance in the other.
Faber plans to take her own day on November 19, the GTA VI launch date, though she will still go into the office to join the company's streaming event, when the workspace will be transformed into a gaming lounge. Workers may defer their day off until 2027 if they prefer. Logitech's chief people officer, Elaine Laird, said that "Play is not the opposite of work," arguing that dedicated time to disengage helps employees return with clearer focus and fresh approaches to complex problems. Logitech's survey, released last month, polled 900 adults and an additional 100 gamers across nine countries.
The move comes amid broader concern among employers about lost productivity during the release. One estimate suggested the U.S. economy could lose as much as $1 billion as 1.5 million workers potentially skip work for the launch. Victor Matheson, an economist at the College of the Holy Cross, told Fortune that even if the figure were accurate, the loss "might not be such a bad thing if people are happier," adding that it is "pretty tiny in the big picture."
GTA VI is widely expected to be one of the largest entertainment releases of the year, with nearly 8 million copies already estimated to have been sold. Publisher Take-Two Interactive raised its fiscal 2027 net bookings outlook to an estimated $8.2 billion in its quarterly earnings report, up from $5.65 billion in fiscal 2025. Workforce behavior is also shifting more broadly: BambooHR data shows PTO requests for the launch date are nearly 13% higher than on comparable days in prior years, and a BambooHR survey found 18% of salaried workers plan to take the day off. Half of gamers planning time off for a release said they intend to call in sick rather than request leave in advance, according to the report.
Faber plans to take her own day on November 19, the GTA VI launch date, though she will still go into the office to join the company's streaming event, when the workspace will be transformed into a gaming lounge. Workers may defer their day off until 2027 if they prefer. Logitech's chief people officer, Elaine Laird, said that "Play is not the opposite of work," arguing that dedicated time to disengage helps employees return with clearer focus and fresh approaches to complex problems. Logitech's survey, released last month, polled 900 adults and an additional 100 gamers across nine countries.
The move comes amid broader concern among employers about lost productivity during the release. One estimate suggested the U.S. economy could lose as much as $1 billion as 1.5 million workers potentially skip work for the launch. Victor Matheson, an economist at the College of the Holy Cross, told Fortune that even if the figure were accurate, the loss "might not be such a bad thing if people are happier," adding that it is "pretty tiny in the big picture."
GTA VI is widely expected to be one of the largest entertainment releases of the year, with nearly 8 million copies already estimated to have been sold. Publisher Take-Two Interactive raised its fiscal 2027 net bookings outlook to an estimated $8.2 billion in its quarterly earnings report, up from $5.65 billion in fiscal 2025. Workforce behavior is also shifting more broadly: BambooHR data shows PTO requests for the launch date are nearly 13% higher than on comparable days in prior years, and a BambooHR survey found 18% of salaried workers plan to take the day off. Half of gamers planning time off for a release said they intend to call in sick rather than request leave in advance, according to the report.
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