GTA 6 publisher claims Xbox Game Pass' growth won't affect its decisions: Report
In a recent interview, the CEO of GTA 6 publisher Take-Two clarified that the growth of Xbox Game Pass won't affect its decision-making. This, of course, comes after Microsoft decided to include the upcoming Call of Duty Black Ops 6 into their subscription service. Although Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick believes that putting a game like that will attract new subscribers to Game Pass for a while, it won't make Take-Two rethink its own decisions regarding subscription services.
GTA 6 is the biggest game that Take-Two is currently preparing for, and many fans have wondered whether it will be available on subscription services like Xbox Game Pass on its launch day. Zelnick shed some light on the matter during his latest interview. So here's what you need to know about it.
Xbox Game Pass' success won't change GTA 6 publisher's decision regarding subscription services
Strauss Zelnick, the current Take-Two CEO, had a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz after the company released its financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2025. Regarding the recent move by Xbox Game Pass, he said:
"I think that offering a frontline title with a premium price in a subscription service, day and date, will push consumers to that subscription service for at least a period of time."
He did, however, add that Take-Two's perspective on the subscription prospect remains unchanged in light of Microsoft's action.
"No, it won't affect our decisions. Because our decisions are rational."
Now, Take-Two's stance on this makes perfect sense. GTA 6 is expected to sell millions of copies on its launch day, so there wouldn't be any added advantage to giving it away as part of a subscription service like Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus. It should be noted that Zelnick recently reaffirmed that GTA 6 will come out in Fall 2025. It's expected to be the biggest entertainment product in history, so there are some major stakes involved.
Zelnick also discussed Take-Two's present approach and future goals in the evolving market. The CEO had previously discussed a cost-cutting scheme, which is now being implemented in an effort to make Take-Two the “most efficient entertainment company.” Strauss says:
"We have narrowed down the pipeline to focus on the titles that we think will be the most successful."
Naturally, GTA 6 is one of these titles, but it should be noted that many Grand Theft Auto fans, including GTA Online players, are on last-gen consoles like the PS4. However, Zelnick says that it's not a challenge for the company, adding:
"You're right, there are certain players that are really interested in legacy titles. We have a superb catalogue in this company. It's reliable and generates a lot of net bookings every year. So we are thrilled that there are players interested in legacy titles and even legacy systems."
Aside from GTA 6, Take-Two has over a dozen game releases scheduled for the future on a range of platforms. Zelnick notes:
"It is our job to outperform the industry, and the only way to do that is to generate big hits, and I think we have all the necessary elements to deliver that."
For now, we can conclude that the company's upcoming game, Grand Theft Auto 6, won't be there on Game Pass or PS Plus on its launch day.
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