As part of the recent Earnings Call, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has said a lot and a little about Grand Theft Auto 6, but in all of it is a sly, subtle remark regarding the expectations of GTA 6‘s Online Mode. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has publicly even acknowledged the Online component, partially because the companies are entirely focused on the initial release of Grand Theft Auto 6 itself.
Chances are, while GTA 6 Online may or may not be connected to the base game, the companies treat GTA 6 Online as a separate entity. Rockstar’s statements that GTA 6 is a single-player game reflect that, while “Vice City Online” can manifest however the companies choose for it to (Premium, Free-to-Play, etc.). Still, it’s clear expectations are sky high and well above and beyond even the release of Grand Theft Auto 6.
Take-Two Expects GTA 6 Online to Sustain Scale and Generate Cash Flows
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Image via Rockstar Games / Take Two -
Image via Rockstar Games / Take Two -
Image via Rockstar Games / Take-Two
Zelnick revealed that GTA 6‘s pre-orders are so “Exceptional” that the company raised the amount of money it expects to earn as part of its Earnings Call announcements, but Zelnick didn’t stop there. As reported by GamesBeat, Take-Two now expects its Fiscal 2027 Net Bookings to be around $8.2 billion, up from $8 billion. Zelnick then goes on to look “further ahead” beyond the initial release of GTA 6. No doubt, it’ll be monumental and topping charts for months, but chances are the bulk of its initial earnings are within the first couple of months. Yet, Take-Two expects to “sustain this new level of scale and generate strong cash flows,” all in order to deliver continued shareholder returns.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
The language in this statement is subtle, but important. Take-Two wishes to “sustain” its new multi-billion dollar scale, which requires more than any single-player game (even GTA 6) could amount to. Sustaining such income would require monetary sources beyond the base sales of the game, and while Grand Theft Auto 6 is likely to feature microtransactions, those may not be enough to “sustain” that scale. Secondly, the strong cash “flows,” as in plural, indicates that Take-Two expects more than one revenue stream to come out in the months after its launch. In other words, the initial launch and ongoing support of GTA 6 Online, Vice City Online, or whatever Rockstar decides to call this next iteration of GTA Online.
It’s clear that Zelnick acknowledged the potential sales of GTA 6 Online beyond the initial release of the base game, using so many words to assuage shareholders without delving too deep into its plans. That’s the tactic. Rockstar and Take-Two have been very measured with GTA 6 marketing (including the Extended Look on Netflix), so fans can be sure that more will only come when the companies are ready to show their hand.
Perhaps GTA 6 Online will be revealed in this Extended Look, or since Netflix confirmed it wants to do more Extended Looks like GTA 6, it’s possible that a second one happens before GTA 6 Online‘s official release. Whatever happens, Rockstar and Take-Two are asking for patience as it prepares Vice City for the world and the world for Vice City.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+