During a recently held talk at the TD Cowen conference in New York, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick defended the extensive 12-year gap between the releases of Grand Theft Auto 5 and the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. Zelnick addressed concerns about the lengthy wait, emphasising the "massive amounts of content" they have put out in this period through GTA Online and Red Dead Redemption.

Zelnick highlighted that Rockstar Games has not been idle since the release of GTA 5 in 2013. He pointed out that Rockstar has worked on GTA Online, transforming it into a "massive living, breathing ecosystem" that continues to thrive. This shift to live service games has allowed the company to maintain a robust and engaging platform for players.

"It's important to bear in mind, it's not like Rockstar put out GTA 5 and then sat on their hands for 12 years," Zelnick stated. "We launched GTA Online, and that's turned into this massive living, breathing ecosystem, which continues to perform and grow to this day."

In addition to GTA Online, Zelnick cited the success of Red Dead Redemption 2 and its online component, Red Dead Online. The Red Dead franchise has sold approximately 65 million units, further demonstrating Rockstar's productive output during the interim.

Zelnick also suggested that live service games will continue to be a focus for Rockstar, allowing for continuous updates and long-term engagement with players. This strategic direction means that even after the release of GTA 6, Rockstar is likely to maintain its commitment to evolving and expanding its live service offerings.

GTA 6 is scheduled to launch in autumn 2025 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a potential PC release also being considered. While fans have patiently endured the longest ever wait between two GTA instalments, Take-Two remains confident in the path Rockstar has taken, ensuring consistent and engaging content for their global audience.