Take-Two CEO Unfazed by PS5, Xbox Sales Drop, Predicts GTA 6 Boost in 2025

Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated for a fall 2025 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, leaving PC gamers out in the cold for now. This move aligns with Rockstar's traditional strategy, but in today's gaming landscape, it feels somewhat outdated. With the PC platform becoming increasingly crucial for the success of multiplatform games, is GTA 6’s initial exclusion from PC a missed opportunity or even a strategic error?

IGN posed this question to Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, before the company’s recent financial results. In his response, Zelnick hinted at GTA 6’s eventual arrival on PC. He mentioned that while some games like Civilization 7 launch across all platforms simultaneously, Rockstar has historically staggered its releases. "Historically, Rockstar has started with some platforms and then historically moved to other platforms," Zelnick explained.

Rockstar fans are familiar with the studio's cautious approach towards PC releases and its sometimes rocky relationship with the modding community. Many hoped that a game of GTA 6's magnitude might signal a change in Rockstar's PC strategy. Yet, with a confirmed fall 2025 release for consoles, PC gamers might not see the game until 2026 at the earliest.

In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer tried to shed light on why GTA 6 is launching on consoles first, urging PC gamers to give the studio the "benefit of the doubt" regarding these plans.

The potential missed opportunity of not launching GTA 6 on PC simultaneously was highlighted by Zelnick, who noted that PC versions can contribute up to 40% of a game's sales, sometimes even more. This insight comes at a time when sales of the current console generation, including the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, are declining. While Nintendo gears up for the Switch 2, neither Sony nor Microsoft have revealed their next-gen plans. Zelnick emphasized the growing importance of the PC market, stating, "We have seen PC become a much more and more important part of what used to be a console business, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue."

Despite the falling console sales, Zelnick remains optimistic that GTA 6's release will boost console sales, as fans might purchase current-gen consoles to play the game. "When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles," he said. He anticipates a significant increase in console sales in 2025 due to the release schedule, not just from Take-Two but from other publishers as well.

The PlayStation 5 Pro is being eyed as a potential 'GTA 6 machine,' though tech experts doubt it will run the game at 4K60, suggesting that the best gaming experience for GTA 6 on consoles might still be somewhat limited.