Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive’s CEO, recently sat down with The Wall Street Journal to talk about the imminent release of Grand Theft Auto 6. However, within a single minute of the interview starting, he was asked a question that was so bizarre it prompted the audience to titter and him to pull a face reflective of the audacity of the topic.
The interviewer suggested that Take-Two Interactive doesn’t have enough ‘big hits’ in its portfolio, and that Grand Theft Auto 6 is the most important game it has ever made. Zelnick immediately proceeded to pull out every number possible and name all the games under the Take-Two banner, putting the interviewer to shame.
How Can You Be So Wrong?
In the first minute of a 23-minute interview on a stage before an audience, WSJ Tech’s Jessica Toonkel, deputy media editor, asked Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive:
Is there a concern? I think there is a concern that this is your big hit, and that you don’t have enough hits in your library? How do you knock that down?
Strauss immediately retorted:
Well, look… We have fifteen franchises that have each sold at least five million units in an individual release, I think we have the best collection of owned intellectual property in the video game business, and I think that’s reflected in our top line, our bottom line, and our market cap.
I guess the way I would respond is… Examine the facts?
We have an addition to Grand Theft Auto, we have Red Dead Redemption, a massive title, it has sold over 65 million units in the most recent release, Grand Theft Online, we have NBA 2K, which is the second-biggest sports title worldwide, the biggest in North America.
WWE 2K, BioShock, Borderlands, Civilization…
For reference, the image at the top of the article was Strauss Zelnick’s face when he was asked that question.
The interview got off to an awkward start when Toonkel suggested it’s ‘days’ until GTA 6 comes out, and Zelnick responded, ‘Well, two weeks, but who’s counting?’ It felt uncomfortable out of the gate, and it worsened when Toonkel then resorted to outright asking how much Grand Theft Auto 6 cost to develop.
Here’s the full interview:
Take-Two Interactive’s slate is represented by some of the best-selling, highest-rated video games ever made, and it continues to expand and evolve. With Grand Theft Auto 6 coming out this month, Take-Two will skyrocket, as will the labels under the banner and within Rockstar Games.
It’s set to be the fastest-selling, most popular single title launch in video game history, and it’s arguably the most important release in entertainment, period. Looking at a portfolio that includes Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption and suggesting that portfolio doesn’t indicate many ‘hits’ is either a slip, extremely poor interview planning, or bold ignorance.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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