"We are looking over our shoulders. We are running scared": Take-Two CEO says the GTA publisher's success isn't guaranteed and "we need to innovate to make sure we continue to be a leader"

Despite owning one of the most beloved and enduring video game franchises of all time, and gearing up to release what could feasibly become the biggest video game launch ever, Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive is keenly aware that success is never a guarantee.

GTA 6 is due to release on May 26, 2026, and it's undoubtedly the most anticipated game on the horizon. Whether Take-Two and Rockstar will stick the landing is anyone's guess, particularly with an estimated development cost of $1.5 billion and Zelnick himself saying "Rockstar Games is trying to create the best thing anyone's ever seen in entertainment," but the winds are definitely in Take-Two's favor at the moment.

Regardless, Zelnick recently told The Game Business that Take-Two is hyper aware of the unpredictability and competition that exists in the industry.

"We do not rest on our laurels," Zelnick said. "We don't believe that success is guaranteed. We are looking over our shoulders. We are running scared. I am fond of saying that arrogance is the enemy of continued success. We know that in the next two, three, five, ten years… there is going to be an array of big new titles, and maybe even some new formats."

Of course, while GTA is Take-Two's most profitable IP, the holding company also owns 2K and Zynga, which means it holds the keys to several other long-running franchises like BioShock, Borderlands, Civilization, WWE 2K, NBA 2K, and a huge suite of mobile games. Even if GTA 6 doesn't live up to expectations, the company will have other chances to innovate.

"Our three-part strategy is to be the most creative, the most innovative and the most efficient company in the business. We need to innovate to make sure we continue to be a leader."

Take-Two boss says good games are the new bad games: "Some of our competitors have realized maybe a little late in the day that consumers are not okay with okay"