Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick responded to questions about the cost and delay of GTA 6. He confirmed that the project has taken a long time to develop and incurred high costs, stating that while delaying the game to November 2026 is costly and inconvenient, it remains the right choice to ensure the quality of the work.
Zelnick did not disclose specific budget figures, but his comments refuted rumors of a $1.5 billion cost. He stated that Take-Two aims to create top-tier entertainment products, a goal that sometimes requires significant investment; the company's profit and loss statement and balance sheet are strong enough to support this approach, and the investment may yield returns once the product meets expectations.
However, Zelnick refused to preemptively declare success before the game's release. He believes arrogance is detrimental to sustained achievement. Discussing the conflict between release schedules and quality, he noted that some companies overly adhere to set dates, insisting on launching even when the product is not in good shape.
Zelnick later mentioned that a well-known game had been pulled from shelves after launch due to operational issues, though he did not name the title. GameSpot speculated that he might be referring to Cyberpunk 2077, but this remains media conjecture and was not confirmed by Zelnick.
He also revealed that he had previously rejected a delay request for another Take-Two project, deciding to let it launch on schedule. Zelnick acknowledged that such judgments also carry risks, and if a decision proves wrong, he must bear the corresponding consequences.