Bloody Hell, PC's Dominant! Says Take-Two CEO (Just Don't Ask About GTA 6)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick claims the gaming industry is shifting towards PC dominance and open platforms, yet his company's upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI is conspicuously missing a PC release announcement, leaving us gamers wondering about the true motivations behind such a puzzling strategy.
Right, so I've been tinkering with the latest industry whispers, and I've stumbled upon a bit of a head-scratcher that's got me scratching my digital beard. Apparently, the bloke in charge of Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, reckons the gaming industry is hurtling full-tilt towards PC dominance. Now, that's a bold claim, isn't it? Especially when his company's biggest upcoming juggernaut, Grand Theft Auto VI, is currently only slated for Xbox and PlayStation. You know that feeling when you cast a spell for universal peace, and it just makes your neighbour's cat sentient? A bit like that, eh?
Zelnick dropped these observations earlier this week while having a chinwag on CNBC's Squawk Box. He explicitly stated, and I quote, "I think [the industry is] moving towards PC, and business is moving towards open rather than closed." Now, that's a sentiment many of us PC aficionados can get behind. The idea of a more open ecosystem, fewer walled gardens, more choice – it's like a wizard finally getting access to *all* the spellbooks, not just the ones approved by the Guild Council. Fair dinkum, sounds great on paper.
But then he threw in a rather clever caveat. "But if you define console as the property, not the system, then the notion of a very rich game that you engage in for many hours that you play on a big screen - that's never going away," Zelnick furthered. And here's where it gets interesting, mate. He's talking about the *experience* – the 'property' of gaming – rather than the physical box. This makes a fair bit of sense, particularly when you consider things like Valve's Steam Machine, which popped up around the same time Zelnick made these comments. That’s a console/PC hybrid designed to bring PC games right to your telly, blurring the lines between what's a 'console' and what's a 'PC' altogether. It’s almost as if the universe is bending to his very definition, or perhaps he’s just cleverly observing the trends.
So, if PC is the future, and 'open' is the way forward, why in the name of all that is holy are we still in the dark about a PC release for GTA 6? It's like being told you're getting a super-powerful new wand, but then being handed a slightly damp stick instead. Zelnick himself teased a PC release for GTA 6 earlier this year, but added the rather corporate-sounding line that Take-Two tends not to "go across all platforms simultaneously." Right. Because staggered releases totally aren't a known strategy to maximise hype and sales across different release windows, are they? *Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.*
And here’s the kicker that makes me raise a gently skeptical eyebrow: the Take-Two head honcho has openly admitted that the PC version of a multiplatform game can generate a whopping 40 percent of overall sales. Forty percent! That’s not chump change, that’s a dragon's hoard! To willingly hold back that much potential initial revenue for *any* game, let alone a behemoth like GTA, suggests a rather deliberate strategy. My guess? Maximising those initial console sales, then letting the PC version clean up a year or two later. It’s a classic move, but a bit frustrating for us impatient types who want to see what happens when we push the graphical fidelity to 'ludicrous' mode from day one.
It’s not like other big players haven’t already cottoned onto the PC gold rush. PlayStation, for example, has been steadily porting its once-sacred console exclusives to PC over recent years. Former PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida even blurted out that porting PlayStation-exclusive games to PC is "almost like printing money," and a brilliant way to fund new projects. So, the evidence is pretty clear: PC ports are profitable, popular, and a smart business move. It begs the question, if it's printing money, why isn't Take-Two queuing up at the digital mint with GTA 6 on a USB stick?
Zelnick also touched on the mobile gaming market, which he correctly pointed out is growing more rapidly than consoles. "Mobile, of course, is taken with you, it's repeatable, and it's enjoyable," he said, adding that because it appeals to the broadest possible audience, it'll probably continue its rapid ascent. Take-Two even expects their mobile business to jump by roughly 10 percent next quarter. While I'm genuinely thrilled for the mobile space and its accessibility – proper magic for folks on the go – it's a different beast entirely from the immersive, sprawling worlds that console and PC players often crave. You know, the kind of 'rich game you engage in for many hours' that Zelnick himself championed for the big screen.
So, what's the long and short of it, mate? Zelnick's vision of PC dominance and 'open' systems certainly paints an exciting future for gaming. And heck, with giants like PlayStation seeing the light and printing money on PC, there's a definite positive trend. But the glaring absence of a GTA 6 PC announcement, despite the undeniable financial incentives and Zelnick's own words, leaves me with that familiar gamer suspicion. Is it tactical delay? Technical hurdles? Or just a cheeky way to get us all double-dipping? Only time, and probably a few more earnings calls, will tell. But one thing's for sure: the PC master race ain't going anywhere, and eventually, even the biggest gaming spells will make their way to our digital cauldrons.
*This analysis was inspired by a report from Eurogamer, penned by Victoria Phillips Kennedy, originally published on November 18, 2025.*
Tags: GTA 6, PC Gaming, Gaming Industry, Take-Two Interactive, Console Gaming
Original article: Eurogamer