Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company), publicly defended Grand Theft Auto 6's delays in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, arguing that the company prioritizes quality over timelines. According to Zelnick, "these are very difficult decisions to make," but when "your mission is to make the best entertainment on earth" and part of the strategy is "to be the most creative, sometimes you have to make these expensive and inconvenient decisions in service of that mission and goals."
The executive implicitly referenced Cyberpunk 2077's disastrous launch as an example of what to avoid, suggesting that companies with strong mission statements and clear strategies must honor those commitments even "when push comes to shove." Zelnick stated that "there are a lot of companies who have a great mission statement, a stated strategy, and a culture, but then when push comes to shove, you know, they do something that's at odds with" it.
GTA 6 launches November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S following multiple development delays. Rockstar confirmed the game was "expensive and took a long time" to produce, though the publisher has not disclosed the total development budget.
