Red Dead Redemption 2 just had its best sales year since launch, but Take-Two CEO doesn't think GTA 6 hype is behind it

Red Dead Redemption 2 has had stamina fit for a horse, but Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn't think the cowboy epic's long shelf life has much to do with the hype for GTA 6.

Rockstar Games' open-world sequel recently became the third best-selling game of all time, barging Wii Sports out of the way with a whopping 85 million copies sold as of March 2026. Even more impressive is the game's legs – Red Dead Redemption 2 also had its best year sales-wise since it originally launched.

The only games above Red Dead Redemption 2 on the all-time charts are, as you might be able to guess, GTA 5 in second place and Minecraft on top (Tetris would also rank if you're counting all of its different editions, but I digress).

Latest Videos From

With such a momentous milestone in the rear view, some have speculated that the long gap between Grand Theft Auto games and the generation-spanning wait for GTA 6 may have contributed to the commercial success of Red Dead 2. If you can't get ahold of a new GTA, it's easy to imagine some fans would simply reach for something that vaguely resembles it.

But that's not a sentiment Strauss Zelnick, the chief executive officer of Rockstar Games' parent company, agrees with. To him, Red Dead Redemption 2 got there without the help of its older, more popular sibling.

"No," he says plainly when asked if Red Dead Redemption 2's sales were driven by GTA 6 hype in an interview with The Game Post. "I do think Rockstar Games almost uniquely has a brand position in entertainment, because consumers tend to be interested in all of their offerings. But no, I think that stands alone."

Zelnick instead attributes the game's success to the "very loyal and engaged audience" that the Red Dead series enjoys. "And they love the title. And by the way, I love the title."

Despite Red Dead Online's relatively slim offerings compared to GTA Online's still hefty updates, the executive also recently said he didn't view the multiplayer mode as a missed opportunity. Historic sales numbers and a bunch of accolades are probably enough, it seems.

Grand Theft Auto overtook its competition by ignoring annual releases, Take-Two CEO says: "Look at what happened to the properties that were higher up in the food chain."