GTA 6 will be "mind-blowing" – Take-Two Interactive Boss Interview

Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games responsible for developing the new GTA, described the upcoming game as extraordinary and assured it would be well worth the wait in an interview with YouTuber Conner Mather.

In his YouTube interview, Zelnick addressed several questions from Conner regarding GTA, including one about the abundance of NPCs in the game world who serve no purpose beyond being background elements. Zelnick laughed and assured that the reality would be quite the opposite. He also revealed that Rockstar operates with complete independence in developing the game and is putting their all into it, describing the process as having "enormous freedom."

The "incredible durable success" of GTA V, particularly GTA Online, came as a surprise to Zelnick, especially given the number of bugs at the game's initial launch. However, he attributed its revolutionary impact on the industry to the team's commitment to listening to player feedback and aiming to create something entirely new without comparing themselves to existing games. Zelnick emphasized that feedback should not merely satisfy current demands but instead surpass all expectations and desires, delivering the unexpected.

According to Zelnick, creating something "breathtaking" and unprecedented is what elevates their work to an art form. For the team, the emotional fulfillment of crafting something extraordinary takes precedence over business considerations.

"You can't be totally data-driven; you have to be creatively driven. What's it like to be on the team? It creates enormous pressure on our teams. Enormous pressure because this is the creativity involved in making one of these big properties. It's their life's work, and it's not just commerce; it's art. It's not just business; it's emotions... So, the stress for our teams can be enormous, but I think everyone feels blessed that we get to devote our lives to this." — Strauss Zelnick.

Zelnick also noted that the real work is done by the teams on the ground, not in the CEO's office, and expressed his gratitude for leading the development teams behind games like GTA V and RDR2.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, who previously announced the game's first trailer, stated he would be "shocked" if Grand Theft Auto 6 is released in fall 2025. He cited Rockstar's history of delaying major titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 as the main reason. Schreier also mentioned that the game's scale has already prompted some publishers to consider delaying their releases until 2026.

Given how GTA V exceeded gamers' expectations in 2013, not to mention RDR2, Zelnick's assurances about GTA 6 suggest it will be something entirely new and truly groundbreaking.