Take-Two cutting costs again as Q3 sales dip 3%

PlayStation is set to lay off around 900 employees worldwide.

As anticipation builds for the release of GTA 6, fans are delving into the realm of speculation fueled by a recently uncovered an AI-linked patent from Take-Two Interactive. The patent, which outlines a method for virtual navigation in a gaming environment, has ignited curiosity within the gaming community, particularly among those eager for more insights into the highly anticipated title.

Vancouver-based Blackbird Interactive confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz today that it has laid off staff for the second time in six months.

According to recently revealed sales data from publisher Take-Two, it looks like Sony's PS5 has outsold Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S by a factor of roughly 2:1. Microsoft stopped trumpeting console sales a while back, so getting to a concrete number requires taking a slightly circuitous route.

Following the company’s fiscal year 2024/2025 earnings report, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick provided some updates on Grand Theft Auto 6. Currently planned to launch next year, he clarified that it’s unlikely to arrive before April 2025. Considering the massive buzz for the title, with over 174 million views to date, how did Zelnick feel about the trailer leaking beforehand?

Upon its long-awaited announcement in December, Grand Theft Auto 6 was handed a 2025 launch window, and in its recent quarterly fiscal report, Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive reiterated that window, but when exactly in 2025 will the game be releasing? Judging by Take-Two’s revised bookings forecast for fiscal year 2024/25, the game might not release until at least April 2025.

The anticipation surrounding GTA 6 has ignited a surge in interest for decades-old GTA Trilogy titles on Netflix's gaming platform. Take-Two Interactive CEO, Strauss Zelnik, revealed during a recent earnings call that the "Grand Theft Auto Trilogy" dominated downloads on Netflix Games following the announcement of "GTA 6."

In recent developments, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, has signalled the company's intention to broaden the presence of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games on Netflix Games, buoyed by the success of the GTA Trilogy on the platform. Reports indicate a surge of interest in GTA titles on Netflix following rumours last fall of a potential collaboration between the two entities. Ultimately, Netflix confirmed the inclusion of the GTA Trilogy in its gaming service lineup, much to the delight of fans, the performance was seamless, particularly on devices such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. However, Speculation abounds regarding which GTA instalments may join the Netflix Games roster in future. While conventional wisdom might suggest the inclusion of older titles, such as GTA 4 or GTA 5, recent precedents, such as the successful performance of Resident Evil Village on select tablets, also hint at broader possibilities for the franchise's expansion on the platform.

Just when fans thought Rockstar's much-anticipated GTA 6 launch may be edging closer, a recent financial insight suggests a more defined timeframe for its arrival. The sequel to the wildly successful GTA 5 was formally acknowledged by Rockstar as being in development, accompanied by a tempting glimpse in the form of the first trailer unveiled in December 2023. However, since then, details have remained scarce, with only cryptic hints offered within the video. And now some parent company Take-Two Interactive Software data is suggesting a delay in GTA 6 launch.

Lawyers representing Take-Two have called virtual currencies “fictions created by game publishers”, in response to a class-action suit concerned with the company’s handling of microtransactions.

Grand Theft Auto 6 looks set to be released after March 2025, based on publisher Take-Two’s latest earnings guidance.

It’s a dismal time to be in video game development, as companies continue to announce layoffs. Now, Take-Two Interactive – the parent company of Rockstar – is looking to enact a “significant cost reduction plan,” but it doesn’t necessarily mean redundancies.