Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick on GTA 6: "Victory is not claimed until it's achieved"

With the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto installment set to be released in early December, excitement is building. The announcement has already garnered significant attention, with 1.4 million likes, 479,000 reposts, and 45,000 bookmarks on X. The hype surrounding the game is understandable, given that it has been over a decade since the last Grand Theft Auto release, which happens to be one of the most successful entertainment products of all time. Grand Theft Auto 5 has generated over $800 million in revenue and sold more than 190 million copies, making it the second-best-selling game of all time, after Minecraft. This success can be attributed in part to GTA Online, which has consistently been among the top-selling games worldwide, even years after its release. Given the high expectations from players, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about his expectations for the upcoming game. Zelnick stated that the company does not set specific expectations for its releases, instead focusing on being the most creative, innovative, and efficient entertainment company in the world. He emphasized that all of Take-Two's creative teams strive for perfection, resulting in 11 franchises that have each sold over five million units. Zelnick expressed optimism about the company's lineup but noted that they do not claim victory until it has been achieved. In discussing the company's earnings, Zelnick praised Rockstar's efforts to combat the typical decline in sales for blockbuster games and live service offerings, describing their achievements as "nothing short of extraordinary." The company reported total net bookings of $1.44 billion, with GTA 5 and Online performing better than expected. Take-Two's GTA+ membership program also continued to grow, offering players a monthly drop of in-game items and services. When asked about subscription services, Zelnick expressed skepticism about library-style subscriptions, comparing them to Netflix for audiovisual entertainment. He believes that consumers may not want such services in a broad sense but supports subscription services for catalog titles. Turning to the broader market, which has experienced a turbulent year with both massive success stories and widespread layoffs, Zelnick attributed Take-Two's relative stability to its moderate approach during the pandemic. The company's three-part strategy of innovation, creativity, and efficiency has allowed it to remain competitive. Zelnick remains optimistic for 2024, emphasizing the need for the company to be lean, innovative, and creative in order to bring high-quality entertainment experiences to consumers.