Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reckons GTA 5 is "the most technologically advanced game in the marketplace" even after the 12 long years that have transpired since its launch in 2013. I don't know how much that softens the blow of GTA 6 being delayed again, but it's a noteworthy take.
Zelnick took questions during a financial call that took place in the literal minutes following the announcement of GTA 6's latest delay, so naturally the topic came up quite a bit. One investor asked Zelnick about the vibe at the studio in the wake of the delay, and how much of the decision to delay had to do with polish.
Predictably, Zelnick declined to give any specifics, but highlighted the importance of polish and how much GTA 6 has to live up to in terms of Rockstar's pedigree.
"I think the culture of Rockstar is extraordinary, and we're all pushing hard to to seek perfection," said Zelnick. "And that's not just words. I mean, the Metacritic scores of Rockstar releases are, generally speaking - not generally speaking - with very few exceptions, have been over 95 and GTA 5 has been the standard-bearer, not just for our company, but for the industry, through three console generations.
"To this day, I would argue, it's the most technologically advanced title in the marketplace despite being more than a decade old, and that doesn't happen by accident. Rockstar's culture is one of performance. Take-Two's culture as a whole, which is reflected with all of our labels, is one of seeking excellence, teamwork, and kindness, and that's a recipe that works really, really well. I can't deny that at any given time, if things don't go exactly as you like, there's some disappointment, but we're pretty good about brushing ourselves off and picking ourselves up and playing another day, and we've always done that."
Zelnick's claim seems a bold one at first blush, and it's certainly debatable with newer AAA games benefiting from all sorts of advancements that just weren't around back when GTA 5 was in development, but his words are vague enough that it's hard to really challenge him without knowing the specifics and parameters he's using to make the claim.
If anything, I would think Rockstar's own Red Dead Redemption 2 is objectively more technologically advanced than GTA 5, but I suppose it all depends on how you define technologically advanced. Either way, there's little doubt that GTA 6 will take the crown when it launches in November 2026.
After another GTA 6 delay he called unlikely, Take-Two CEO says "bad things happen" when games are rushed and breaks out his favorite phrase: "I'm highly confident on the new date"
