Strauss Zelnick Talks GTA 6: Single-Player, Online, PC, Microtransactions & Marketing
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick answered several questions about GTA 6 during the company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders today, discussing GTA Online, PC releases, international marketing, microtransactions and Rockstar's plans for the game's marketing campaign.
While the meeting was primarily held for routine shareholder business, the Q&A produced several interesting new details about GTA 6. We've broken down exactly what Zelnick said, and what his carefully chosen wording actually means.
Key Points
- GTA 6 will launch as a single-player title on November 19.
- Rockstar will continue supporting GTA V Online.
- PC is becoming "more and more important" to Take-Two.
- GTA 6 will initially launch with 13 localised languages, with more potentially added later.
- Take-Two considers GTA 6 a global event, with marketing tailored to individual regions.
- GTA 6 will have a "very significant" marketing footprint, with further details coming from Rockstar.
- There will be no recurrent consumer spending associated with GTA 6's initial single-player launch.
- GTA V has now sold more than 230 million copies.
GTA 6 is launching as a single-player title
The first GTA-related question asked Zelnick for more information about GTA Online. Before addressing the existing online game, Zelnick reiterated that GTA 6 will launch on November 19 as a single-player title on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Question:
Can you give some details on GTA Online?
Strauss Zelnick:
"Just as a reminder, we have announced that we will be launching GTA VI on November 19th. It's a single-player title and it's being launched on Xbox and PS5."
Take-Two has still not announced an online component for GTA 6. Zelnick previously made the same distinction during Take-Two's May earnings call, when he said it would be premature to discuss the business model for an online version because the company had not announced one.
GTA V Online will continue to be supported
Zelnick did, however, directly address the existing GTA Online. He described it as a "robust business" and confirmed that Take-Two intends to continue supporting it.
Strauss Zelnick:
"If the question is with regard to GTA V Online, that continues to be a robust business for us, and we will continue to support GTA V Online."
No timeframe was given for how long that support will continue.
PC is becoming "more and more important"
Another shareholder asked about Take-Two's approach to PC releases. Although Zelnick did not specifically announce GTA 6 for PC, his answer outlined Take-Two's broader strategy of eventually releasing games on platforms with a meaningful audience.
Question:
Is the shortage of PS5 Pros causing changes in delivery of PC gaming?
Strauss Zelnick:
"I assume this is a question regarding the cadence of PC launches. The strategy of the company is over time, generally speaking, to launch for any platforms for which there's a meaningful audience.
"But that isn't always the case, and certainly if platforms were no longer viable, we would change that strategy, and I would note that the PC platform is becoming more and more important to our company over time."
GTA 6 is currently only announced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but Rockstar has historically brought its major Grand Theft Auto releases to PC after their initial console launches.
GTA 6 will launch in 13 languages
Asked about the international launch of GTA 6, Zelnick confirmed that the game will initially be localised into 13 languages.
Question:
As GTA VI will be a global release, how does Take-Two plan to adapt its marketing strategy to international markets?
Strauss Zelnick:
"The answer is we will be launching the title in 13 languages, localized, which is typical for our launches. Sometimes we launch for more languages than that. That's initially."
The 13 supported languages have already been listed on the Rockstar Store since GTA 6 pre-orders opened:
- English
- French
- Italian
- German
- Russian
- Japanese
- Polish
- Korean
- Simplified Chinese
- Traditional Chinese
- Spanish (Mexico)
- Spanish (Spain)
- Portuguese (Brazil)
More languages could be added after launch
Although GTA 6 will initially support 13 languages, Zelnick said Take-Two can expand its language support over time. He specifically referenced Spanish and Portuguese after noting that the shareholder's question concerned Latin America.
Strauss Zelnick:
"Generally speaking, over time, we will launch in other languages. Since the question was asked specifically about Latin America, we will be launching in Spanish and Portuguese and also all major European languages."
Zelnick did not identify which additional languages could be introduced or provide a timeframe for any additions.
GTA 6 will be a global event with localised marketing
Zelnick went on to discuss how Take-Two approaches worldwide launches, describing its biggest releases as "global events" while explaining that marketing is adapted for individual regions.
Strauss Zelnick:
"All of our big titles tend to be global events. We certainly want them to be global events, and we do tailor our marketing activities locally. We have many local offices and marketing partnerships."
GTA 6 is scheduled to release worldwide on November 19. Based on the release times currently displayed by regional PlayStation Stores, our GTA 6 Worldwide Countdown tracks the expected local-midnight rollout, beginning in New Zealand and concluding around 19 hours later in the final regions.
Zelnick's comments concern Take-Two's approach to global launches and local marketing; he did not specifically confirm the individual regional unlock times during the meeting.
GTA 6's marketing footprint will be "very significant"
Discussing the scale of the upcoming campaign, Zelnick acknowledged the enormous anticipation surrounding GTA 6 and said its marketing footprint will be significant.
Strauss Zelnick:
"I think obviously the launch of GTA VI is widely anticipated and the marketing footprint will be very significant."
Later in the Q&A, Zelnick revealed that Take-Two had received several other GTA 6 questions but declined to provide further marketing details, leaving future announcements to Rockstar Games.
Strauss Zelnick:
"We do have some other GTA VI related questions, of course, which we greatly appreciate. Obviously, there's enormous anticipation around that release.
"More specific marketing information will, of course, come from Rockstar Games. We always leave it to our labels to talk about marketing of its titles. Suffice it to say that we know our shareholders are just as excited as we are. We never claim success before it occurs, but we're cautiously optimistic."
No recurrent consumer spending in GTA 6 at launch
Another shareholder directly asked whether Take-Two plans to include recurrent consumer spending in GTA 6. The term is used by Take-Two to describe ongoing spending including virtual currency, add-on content and in-game purchases.
Question:
Are there plans to make sure that we have recurrent consumer spending in GTA VI?
Strauss Zelnick:
"Just to reiterate, we're launching GTA VI as a single player experience on two major platforms. Therefore, there's no recurrent consumer spending anticipated with regard to this launch."
This confirms that Take-Two does not currently anticipate microtransactions or other recurrent consumer spending being attached to the GTA 6 single-player launch.
Notably, Zelnick repeatedly qualifies his comments by referring to "this launch" and GTA 6 as a "single player experience". Take-Two has not yet announced its plans for a GTA 6-era version of GTA Online, so nothing said during the meeting confirms or rules out Shark Cards, GTA+, possible future single-player DLC or other recurrent spending in a future update or release.
GTA V has sold more than 230 million copies
Zelnick followed his comments about recurrent consumer spending by pointing to the extraordinary longevity of GTA V, which has now sold more than 230 million copies worldwide.
Strauss Zelnick:
"I would point out, though, that GTA V launched in 2013, and unlike most titles, remained a top five selling title for 13 years. So GTA is a different kind of experience in that the single player experience can be very successful to say the least. GTA V, of course, has sold in over 230 million units since it was launched."
Take-Two once had "one major franchise in GTA"
Grand Theft Auto was also mentioned during a broader shareholder question challenging Take-Two's management over delays, missed expectations and its reliance on major franchises.
Zelnick responded by comparing the company today with the state of Take-Two when the current management team took control in March 2007.
Strauss Zelnick:
"When this management team took over the company in March of 2007, the stock price was $17, the revenue of the company was under $1 billion. The company was under investigation by at least four government entities, had not filed annual reports in 13 months, and had not scheduled an annual meeting, despite obligations to do so.
"It had one major franchise in GTA. The rest of the business was losing money, and the company was very nearly bankrupt."
Zelnick said Take-Two has since diversified considerably, including entering the mobile market and establishing more than 11 franchises that have each achieved sales of more than five million units for an individual release.
Take-Two 2026 Annual Meeting transcript
The Annual Meeting took place on September 17, 2026 at 9:00am ET. Take-Two has made the official webcast available through its Investor Relations website, while a written transcript of the meeting has been published by StockAnalysis using transcript data supplied by Quartr.
Strauss Zelnick Transcript
The complete transcript includes the opening remarks from Take-Two's Investor Relations team, shareholder voting, corporate governance business and the complete shareholder Q&A with Strauss Zelnick. We've removed parts which aren't necessarily relevant to GTA.
Strauss Zelnick
We'd now like to respond to questions in accordance with the rules that Mr. Emerson outlined earlier in the meeting. We have not received any questions relating to the proposals in the meeting. However, we have received some other questions which I will endeavor to respond to simply in an effort to respond to shareholder questions since we are here meeting together today. The first question was if we can give some details on GTA Online. Just as a reminder, we have announced that we will be launching GTA VI on November 19th.
It's a single-player title and it's being launched on Xbox and PS5. If the question is with regard to GTA V Online, that continues to be a robust business for us, and we will continue to support GTA V Online. Second question is the shortage of PS5 Pros causing changes in delivery of PC gaming? I assume this is a question regarding the cadence of PC launches. The strategy of the company is over time, generally speaking, to launch for any platforms for which there's a meaningful audience.
But that isn't always the case, and certainly if platforms were no longer viable, we would change that strategy, and I would note that the PC platform is becoming more and more important to our company over time. The third question is that as GTA VI will be a global release, how does Take-Two plan to adapt its marketing strategy to international markets? The answer is we will be launching the title in 13 languages, localized, which is typical for our launches. Sometimes we launch for more languages than that. That's initially.
Generally speaking, over time, we will launch in other languages. Since the question was asked specifically about Latin America, we will be launching in Spanish and Portuguese and also all major European languages. All of our big titles tend to be global events. We certainly want them to be global events, and we do tailor our marketing activities locally. We have many local offices and marketing partnerships. I think obviously the launch of GTA VI is widely anticipated and the marketing footprint will be very significant.
The next question I actually will read. Many shareholders have tolerated years of delays, missed expectations, and continued dependence on a small number of major franchises. If these issues persist, does the Board believe that the current management team remains the right group to lead the company, or is it prepared to replace senior executives if operational performance and shareholder value creation do not improve? The short answer is our Board is exceedingly diligent and rigorous and demands high performance from all of our executives.
In the event that the management team did not perform, of course, the Board would replace that team. I would, however, quibble with your characterization in the question. When this management team took over the company in March of 2007, the stock price was $17, the revenue of the company was under $1 billion. The company was under investigation by at least four government entities, had not filed annual reports in 13 months, and had not scheduled an annual meeting, despite obligations to do so.
It had one major franchise in GTA. The rest of the business was losing money, and the company was very nearly bankrupt. Since then, this management team has reduced the cost profile at that time, diversified the company meaningfully, entered the mobile business, launched more than 11 franchises that have each sold over 5 million units with an individual release, and today is the largest by market cap, pure play interactive entertainment company that's public on Earth.
If a management team is judged on stock price, and I do believe that that's an important measure, our stock has appreciated since March of 2007 to today about 1,200% versus the S&P at 440% and the Nasdaq at 980%. Of course, the company's revenue is guided to be between $8 billion and $8.2 billion this year with very significant free cash flow anticipated. The next question is regarding recurrent consumer spending and whether there are plans to make sure that we have recurrent consumer spending in GTA VI. Just to reiterate, we're launching GTA VI as a single player experience on two major platforms.
Therefore, there's no recurrent consumer spending anticipated with regard to this launch. I would point out, though, that GTA V launched in 2013, and unlike most titles, remained a top five selling title for 13 years. So GTA is a different kind of experience in that the single player experience can be very successful to say the least. G TA V, of course, has sold in over 230 million units since it was launched. Let's see. We do have some other GTA VI related questions, of course, which we greatly appreciate. Obviously, there's enormous anticipation around that release.
More specific marketing information will, of course, come from Rockstar Games. We always leave it to our labels to talk about marketing of its titles. Suffice it to say that we know our shareholders are just as excited as we are. We never claim success before it occurs, but we're cautiously optimistic. With that, I'd like to thank you so much for joining us today.
Sources
- Take-Two Interactive Investor Relations – 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
- StockAnalysis / Quartr – Take-Two 2026 Annual Meeting Transcript