Take-Two’s non-gaming CEO nears high-stakes GTA VI launch
Strauss Zelnick is preparing Take-Two for GTA VI, an $80 release analysts estimate cost up to $1.5 billion to develop.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Take-Two Interactive is preparing to release Grand Theft Auto VI on Nov. 19, putting one of gaming’s most valuable franchises back in the market after years of delays. Business Insider reported, citing industry analysts, that development of the game is estimated at $1 billion to $1.5 billion, a budget that raises the stakes for Take-Two and its Rockstar Games studio.
The launch comes under Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two’s chairman and chief executive, who has led the publisher since 2011, according to Fortune. Zelnick told Business Insider that he does not play video games, though he may watch others play them, and said he does not believe a CEO needs to act as the company’s top consumer to be effective.
Fortune reported that Zelnick is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. Since he took charge, Take-Two’s stock has risen from about $12 a share to nearly $240, while annual net revenue reached $5.6 billion in 2025 after standing below $1 billion before his tenure, according to Fortune.
A major release in a crowded market
Take-Two’s upcoming release follows the long run of Grand Theft Auto V. The company has said that the 2013 game generated $1 billion in sales within three days, reaching that mark faster than any other entertainment release, and that it has sold more than 215 million units.
The broader games market is far more crowded than it was when GTA V arrived. Bain & Company data cited by Fortune showed that 19,000 console and PC games were released in 2023, up from just under 2,000 in 2014. Bain also put the video game market at $219 billion in 2024.
Fortune reported that Take-Two announced in late June that GTA VI would start at $80 and would not include a physical copy. The decision drew questions from some players about ownership of digital-only games, according to Fortune.
Economic conditions could also affect demand for leisure purchases. Fortune reported that global uncertainty tied to the Iran war and strains on oil supply may weigh on consumer spending in some countries.
Delays and development approach
GTA VI has missed earlier targets. Fortune reported that the game had first been planned for fall 2025, then May 2026, before Take-Two set the current Nov. 19 date.
Zelnick told Business Insider that delays can be part of making games and said Rockstar does not use “crunch,” the industry term for long, intense work periods before a deadline. He compared the approach to doing homework steadily rather than pulling an all-nighter.
Take-Two did not confirm a development budget for GTA VI when asked by Fortune. Zelnick told Business Insider only that the project “was expensive,” leaving analysts’ estimates as the clearest public measure of the scale behind the release.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.