Take-Two CEO says putting games on subscription services at launch "doesn't make any sense"

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Strauss Zelnick isn't too fond of adding in Take-Two's games at launch

Arthur Morgan
(Image credit: Rockstar)

Take-Two's CEO has said putting the company's games on subscription service at launch "doesn't make sense."

Yesterday on May 31, GamesIndustry.biz hosted a live interview with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, which you can see in its entirety just below. When asked about supporting subscription services by releasing Take-Two's games on them on day one, Zelnick replied "we’ve supported various subscription services and we’re happy to do so."

However, the CEO added that "our scepticism has been around making frontline console products available day and date with subscription." Zelnick continued by saying that it "doesn’t make any sense to us because, economically speaking, we don’t think consumers are prepared to pay for that."

"We can’t afford to turn our business upside down in a way that doesn’t make sense economically," Zelnick continued. "So there always has to be an intersection between what the consumer wants and what the publisher is able to do, and it doesn’t make sense to do that for frontline properties in our opinion."

This could all change in the future, Zelnick stressed, adding "This company does not operate based on one person’s opinions, including mine, and when it makes sense we’ll support subscription services, and if that’s where the consumer wants to be, that’s where we’ll be."

The only Take-Two published game launched on Xbox Game Pass on day one was The Outer Worlds. Other than that, Take-Two published games have come and gone from subscription services like Xbox Game Pass over the past few years, including the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5. With the latter in particular being a historic sales juggernaut, it's easy to see why Take-Two would back off from putting it on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Check out our guide to the best games on Xbox Game Pass right now for more. 

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.