Some observers might claim that Grand Theft Auto VI is so entrenched in popular culture that a traditional advertising push is unnecessary. Strauss Zelnick, the president of Take‑Two Interactive, pushes back against that notion, arguing that even the most established brands must keep their visibility high and their fan base engaged.
"When you launch a mass‑appeal entertainment property, you simply can't skip promotion," Zelnick told GamesBeat. "You always have to go out and create enthusiasm." He distinguishes between two related but distinct concepts: awareness and enthusiasm. Awareness means that people know a product exists; enthusiasm means they are eager to experience it. Zelnick explains that for a linear entertainment offering—such as a movie or a TV show—consumers simply sit back, absorb what is presented, and do not need to take any additional steps.
"You don't have to install anything, you don't need any technical skill, you just watch and form an opinion," he said. "That passive, lean‑back model makes it easy to generate awareness, but it doesn't automatically translate into excitement." Zelnick also warns against trying to manipulate public perception by paying influencers or creators to give false praise. "You can't pay anyone to say something terrible is good," he noted.
"Even the most opportunistic creator will lose credibility the moment they start endorsing a sub‑par product, and their audience will abandon them. No one wants that." Instead, Zelnick advocates a more honest approach: make the product visible, let people see it, and invite them to try it for themselves.
"We can't convince people that a bad thing is good," he said. "What we can do is say, 'Look, it's out there. It's worth your attention. Give it a shot.'" To illustrate his point, Zelnick compares the upcoming GTA VI campaign to the promotional blitz surrounding the Barbie movie—a franchise that, while already famous, still received an aggressive, multi‑channel marketing effort.
"Everyone saw the Barbie film, and the studio marketed it to the extreme, even though the intellectual property was already household," Zelnick observed. "They kept the buzz alive for months, turned jokes into anticipation, and the campaign worked spectacularly. You could have taken the same approach with GTA." Earlier, speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Zelnick confirmed that Take‑Two and Rockstar are executing "a very significant broad‑based marketing campaign that reflects where audiences and attention is today." The current rollout already includes several high‑impact elements: a curated soundtrack album, a feature story in Dazed magazine, and an exclusive 27‑minute preview streamed on Netflix. The Netflix preview alone amassed 31.1 million views within four days of its release, demonstrating the power of strategic platform partnerships.
Zelnick praised Rockstar's execution of the preview, noting that it blended entertainment with instruction. "What Rockstar did was incredible, but there was an element of tutorial baked in there," he said. "It was a different kind of proposition." Historically, Rockstar's promotional material for GTA titles often resembled straightforward tutorials—walk‑throughs of game mechanics, story teasers, and cinematic trailers. This time, however, the company opted for a more immersive format that both entertains and educates.
"Rockstar figured out how to keep us engaged for 27 minutes while simultaneously explaining how the game will play," Zelnick added. "It was a clever way to deliver the same information without feeling like a traditional demo." The overarching objective, according to Zelnick, is to create a virtuous cycle that moves audiences from mere awareness to genuine excitement, and then back again as new features or updates are released. "We take awareness and turn it into excitement, and we take the lack of awareness and turn it into awareness," he explained. This iterative process ensures that even a franchise as iconic as Grand Theft Auto remains fresh in the public mind and continues to attract both longtime fans and newcomers.
In practical terms, the campaign leverages a mix of traditional and digital channels: high‑visibility billboards in major cities, targeted social‑media ads, collaborations with influencers who genuinely enjoy the series, and experiential events that let fans interact with game environments before launch. By diversifying the touchpoints, Take‑Two aims to reach audiences wherever they spend their time—whether scrolling on a smartphone, watching streaming video, or reading a lifestyle magazine. Zelnick also highlighted the importance of timing.
Modern consumers have short attention spans and are bombarded with content from countless sources. To cut through the noise, the marketing team synchronizes releases with cultural moments—such as major gaming conventions, holiday shopping periods, and even unrelated pop‑culture phenomena that can be tied back to the game through clever cross‑promotions. Finally, Zelnick reiterated that authenticity remains the cornerstone of any successful campaign.
"If you try to fake enthusiasm, people will see through it," he warned. "Our job is to amplify the genuine excitement that already exists among the community, and to invite those who haven't experienced the world of GTA yet to discover why it matters." In summary, Strauss Zelnick makes it clear that even a powerhouse franchise like Grand Theft Auto cannot afford to rest on its laurels. Continuous, thoughtful marketing—rooted in honesty, strategic placement, and a deep understanding of today's media landscape—is essential to keep the brand vibrant, relevant, and eagerly anticipated by gamers around the globe.