Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick says that he is “terrified” about the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, in particular meeting the expectations of fans after such a long wait. GTA 6 might be the most highly-anticipated game of all-time. The previous game in the series was released all the way back in 2013, and fans have spent the last 13 years wondering when they might get a chance to play the follow-up. The good news is that an end seems to be in sight.
GTA 6 is slated to be released November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, provided the game does not see any additional delays. Take-Two and developer Rockstar Games have pushed it back several times over the years, and fans are understandably skeptical about whether GTA 6 will actually come out before the end of the year.
GTA 6 Boss Comments on AI
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick offers more thoughts on generative AI and how it might impact game development ahead of GTA 6’s release.
Strauss Zelnick’s GTA 6 Concern
Appearing this week at iicon (the interactive innovation conference), Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about measuring the success of GTA 6. Zelnick responded that he is “terrified” at the prospect of meeting the lofty expectations of the fan community. That’s not all that surprising; people are so eager for information that one GTA 6 fan counted all the trees in a trailer shot. There has to be a lot of pressure for Take-Two and Rockstar to deliver on that level of excitement. However, Zelnick also shared a lot of optimism about the state of the game.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
“What we think about is making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth, in history, and it’s a pretty daunting challenge. If we do that, and if we’re of service to our customers, then the upside will take care of itself,” said Zelnick.
As consoles become more advanced, development is taking longer, especially for AAA games. It’s becoming less unusual for games to take several years between entries as a result. GTA 6 is in a category of its own, though. Fans have sometimes waited decades between new games in existing franchises, but that’s usually because a developer took a break from a series, or because the previous game flopped. GTA 5 is one of the most successful games ever made, and Rockstar has been working on the sequel for a very long time. Fans are hoping that this time has been well-spent. GTA 6 rumors claim the game will have advanced NPCs, and several other leaps over previous entries.
The launch of GTA 6 has the potential to be very good for the video game industry. At a time when there’s a lot of economic uncertainty, GTA 6 could sell gaming systems to PC gamers, or to console users that have yet to upgrade from a PS4 or Xbox One. More consoles sold will result in other games getting a boost, as well. People that finally decide to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X for GTA 6 will likely buy other big games like Marvel’s Wolverine, or Forza Horizon 6. The industry could use a really big success story.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Between the pressures of the industry itself, and the pressures of meeting fan demand, it’s no wonder that Strauss Zelnick is terrified of how GTA 6‘s launch will play out. The game is basically guaranteed to be a financial success, but it remains to be seen how people will feel about the product. Everyone that played GTA 5 at launch is guaranteed to be at a different point in their life when GTA 6 arrives. Whether they’ll feel the wait was worth it remains to be seen.
- Released
-
November 19, 2026
- ESRB
-
Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
Source: GTA BOOM
