It has been over a year since the first trailer for GTA 6 in December 2023 and there is hardly any news about the game. In an interview on YouTube, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick talks about fans’ frustration with the lack of information and the long wait.
What does the boss say? In an interview on YouTube with Conner Mather, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick talks about his work and life, but also specifically about GTA 6. He says he understands that fans are a little frustrated because Rockstar is keeping a low profile , as far as the game is concerned.
But at the same time, the company’s philosophy is to wait until a title is ready before releasing the game. The developers at Rockstar would try to create something that hasn’t existed before:
Our teams focus on what’s new and what they haven’t even thought of yet. You think you’re looking forward to something specific, but it’s much bigger and much better and more exciting and beautiful than you could ever imagine.
You can get a first impression of the vision that Zelnick describes here with the first trailer for the game:
GTA 6 is worth the wait
What else does Zelnick have to say? In the interview, Conner Mather also addresses the fans’ high expectations. Zelnick explains that they are fully aware of this.
But the biggest (gaming) hits are the ones that aren’t based on anything, but bring new, surprising elements with them: You expected this, but what it turns out to be is much bigger and much better and much more beautiful.
Fan feedback is very important, but you can’t just rely on the data. Game development is not just a business, it is art and emotion. In response to another question, he explains that the developers at Rockstar also work very creatively. You shouldn’t just look at past successes and numbers, you also need creative freedom.
When asked how Zelnick would describe GTA 6, he says: I think [GTA 6] will be exceptional and worth the wait. The game was going to be breathtaking.
What about the release of GTA 6? The release of GTA 6 is currently scheduled for Q3 2025, i.e. July to September. However, the release period is by no means fixed. The first rumors circulated in September 2024 that the game might not be released until 2026.
In fact, Rockstar Games has repeatedly postponed its games in the past: GTA 5 was released six months later than planned. Red Dead Redemption 2 even lasts a whole year. With Strauss Zelnick’s statement that the developers would like to wait until the game is ready to release, the CEO is encouraging his developers.
In the past, games have been released that would have benefited from a few more years of development. In 2021, CD Projekt Red released Cyberpunk 2077 in an extremely buggy state. It wasn’t until 2023, with the release of the DLC, that development was fully completed. Nevertheless, there was a new patch recently. The developers probably won’t release their next game, Witcher 4, until the time comes. You can read more about this game here: Despite the title, The Witcher 4 is not a sequel, but you don’t have to say goodbye to Geralt completely