Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick is happy to rank Grand Theft Auto above everything else in entertainment, but he still won't promise a record launch for GTA 6. Speaking to Bloomberg, he called the series "probably the most valuable intellectual property in the entertainment business."
"We believe the Grand Theft Auto franchise is probably the most valuable intellectual property in the entertainment business."
The conversation was recorded on October 19 in New York for David Rubenstein's "Peer to Peer Conversations", and Bloomberg published the clip on November 11. Zelnick points to the series' global reach and reminds viewers that GTA V has sold more than 230 million units. It's the second story we've taken from this interview, after his answer on whether Take-Two could be sold.
Easy to pick up, hard to master is the whole formula
Asked why the series keeps its audience for so long, Zelnick repeated a line Take-Two applies across its catalog: "We think that great video games are easy to approach and difficult to master." In his view, GTA sets that standard: almost anyone can enjoy the huge open world from the first hours, while only a few ever master the competitive side.
GamesRadar+ made the line its Quote of the Day with a pointed subheading, "Just don't tell Pikachu", a nod to Pokémon, GTA's usual rival in these rankings. Note that Zelnick himself hedged with "probably".
No victory lap before November 19
When Rubenstein asked whether GTA 6 would be the biggest launch in the history of games or film, Zelnick declined to make the call, saying the company does not "claim success before it occurs." He praised Rockstar's team for its work on the game and said he is "very optimistic", with the commercial verdict coming after the November 19 release.
That restraint says a lot. The man who calls GTA the most valuable franchise in entertainment could easily have promised a record, and chose to wait for the sales numbers instead.
Source: Bloomberg, GamesRadar+
