Take-Two CEO explains why he refused to play Grand Theft Auto VI

Strauss Zelnick doesn't see much point in being a consumer.
Text: Alex Hopley
Published 2025-05-24

Whenever executives or suits are brought up in relation to gaming, there's often an idea of people without much experience throwing their weight around and making decisions that should be left for the creatives. According to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, though, that's the last thing he wants to do.

Speaking to CNBC (via GamesRadar), Zelnick revealed he'd been offered the chance to play Grand Theft Auto VI, but turned it down. "I'm not a gamer, not a lot - I don't play video games, I'm not the consumer-in-chief," he said.

"I think being the consumer-in-chief in the entertainment business as the CEO is probably a mistake," he continued. "I wasn't the consumer-in-chief in the movie business or the television business or the music business, even though I certainly could read a script and I definitely love music... but that's not my role."

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Zelnick explained he sees his role as one where he has to "attract, retain, and motivate the best talent in the business, and then getting out of their way."

It seems like a fair approach, one that we'd imagine Zelnick also has to take up because there are simply too many games under the 2K banner for him to be in any way involved with them all.

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on the 26th of May, 2026 for Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

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