As subscription services rise, Take-Two CEO Zelnick believes in the enduring appeal of high quality gaming experiences through premium pricing.
During Take-Two's recent earnings call, CEO Strauss Zelnick doubled down on the company's stance regarding day one Xbox Game Pass releases. The discussion came on the heels of the announcement that Call of Duty would be launching day one on the subscription platform.
Zelnick remains steadfast in his belief that premium pricing is the way forward for Take-Two's titles, even as Microsoft's Game Pass continues to gain traction with popular additions like the upcoming Call of Duty.
Take-Two's strategy remains firmly rooted in the premium model. While acknowledging that offering a popular title like Call of Duty on Game Pass could temporarily boost subscriber numbers, he emphasized that this approach doesn't align with Take-Two's long-term vision.
"I think that offering a frontline title with a premium price in a subscription service, day and date, will push consumers to that subscription service for at least a period of time," says Zelnick.
Take-Two's own Grand Theft Auto 5 adds a layer of complexity to this narrative. The possibility of the game joining Xbox's PC Game Pass is an exciting prospect for many, but it directly contradicts the company's stated strategy.
Given the substantial costs associated with bringing GTA 5 to Game Pass, as outlined in leaked Microsoft documents, it's possible that a deal could be reached as a compromise between the two companies. This could potentially signal a shift in Take-Two's stance on subscription services, at least for select titles. But with the recent earnings call and Zelnick's confidence in the upcoming years, we probably have a long way to go.
On one side, Microsoft is aggressively expanding its Game Pass library with high-profile titles. On the other, publishers like Take-Two are holding firm to the traditional model of premium releases. For gamers, the implications are far-reaching. The promise of instant access to a vast game library is undeniably tempting, but concerns about the long-term impact on game development and pricing remain.
Bringing a cash cow like GTA 5 to a subscription service is a high-stakes gamble, balancing potential short-term gains with long-term implications. However, with the hype and excitement surrounding the next GTA title, all these speculations and doubts wither away, also evidenced by Take-Two's recent earnings call.
In the call, Zelnick states, "We are reiterating our net bookings outlooks for the year as we release our groundbreaking pipeline. We expect to achieve tremendous growth, including sequential increases in net bookings in fiscal 2026 and 2027."
Zelnick's confidence in Take-Two's trajectory was underpinned by the company's projected financial performance. He highlighted an "impressive pipeline" that is expected to drive significant growth in the coming years. While Zelnick refrained from explicit details, it is understood that "groundbreaking pipeline" refers primarily to Grand Theft Auto 6, slated for release in Fall 2025.
It would also make sense for the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 to be a year of growth for Take-Two and Rockstar as the PC version of the game, if they stick to their release pattern, will be releasing one year after the initial release on console, further increasing sales and revenue.
The anticipated launch of GTA 6, coupled with the company's existing portfolio, is expected to fuel substantial revenue growth in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This optimistic outlook underscores Take-Two's belief in the enduring appeal of premium gaming experiences, even as the subscription model gains traction. GTA 5, which has been around for over a decade and has brought in revenue, is proof of that.
For now, the gaming world awaits the release of GTA 6, a title that is expected to redefine the open-world genre and solidify Take-Two's position as a leading player in the industry, not that it is not already.
