Paulo Avelino just announced he is quitting showbiz, turning down every project, and disappearing from the public eye starting October 31. Before anyone panics, the Kapuso star’s own timeline gives the real reason away: Grand Theft Auto 6 drops on November 19, and Path of Exile 2 follows on December 11.
An open letter about taking a break
The actor shared a humorously constructed letter to fans and collaborators across his social media accounts indicating he would be declining all kinds of projects beginning Halloween. In it, he says he is stepping away “after a lot of prayer and some hard conversations at home” and that it includes “the movies, the teleserye, all my endorsements. Everything.”
He then points at the two games releasing that exact window and jokes about his plans. His GMA News interview and the letter itself make clear the “retirement” is a gag built around release dates, not a real exit.
What Paulo actually said
- He saw an extended look at Path of Exile 2, which just added swords, and says he “has not been okay since.”
- He jokingly told his legal counsel to inform anyone planning to sue him that he will be available again by March next year.
- “I’ll have 100% GTA completion and a build nobody can touch by then. Sue me at my peak. Wag niyo ako i-tag sa clips. Babalik din ako. Basta. God bless po,” the letter ends.
One project left this year
Before his video-game sabbatical, Paulo still has one real commitment: the cross-cultural drama series Kopino, opposite his love team partner Kim Chiu, their fifth collaboration together. The pair recently performed together on ASAP XP in Australia, where the “cancellation” post first got netizens double-checking whether the joke was real.
Why this matters for Filipino gamers
It is a fun, light beat, but it is also a reminder of how big the November gaming window is for Pinoy players. GTA 6 is shaping up to be the biggest release in years, and a beloved local actor openly counting down to launch day only feeds the hype. Between the Manila Bulletin coverage and the flood of fan reactions, the gag clearly landed.
