In a recent chat, Strauss Zelnick from Take-Two shared some thoughts on the challenges of the AAA video game industry, mentioning how tough it is and how it’s getting even tougher.
He explained that as entertainment industries mature, what people expect in terms of quality keeps climbing. Zelnick believes Take-Two is in a good spot to tackle these challenges because they aim to be super creative, innovative, and efficient. He said, “The quality threshold that the consumer demands always goes up,” which means players want better games all the time.
Take-Two’s goals are pretty ambitious. Zelnick is confident that even if they only get close to achieving their aims, they can still succeed. The company is known for creating some of the biggest AAA games, with the much-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI coming in 2025, a game everyone seems to be buzzing about.
As fans, we sometimes wonder if all these big-budget games mean fewer new ideas.
Shawn Layden, who used to be with PlayStation, also talked about the AAA industry. He mentioned that relying solely on blockbuster hits could be risky, saying, “If we’re just going to rely on the blockbusters to get us through, I think that’s a death sentence.” He feels that high costs push studios to play it safe, which might stifle creativity.
Despite focusing on sequels, Take-Two isn’t ignoring new ideas. Zelnick pointed out that skipping on new IP could be like “burning the furniture to heat the house, and that doesn’t end well.” This means they understand the risk of not innovating.
Star Wars: Outlaws was expected to be a huge success due to its famous franchise and the love for single-player games. However, it didn’t meet Ubisoft’s hopes. Still, Ubisoft isn’t ready to throw in the towel on the game.
