CEO of GTA 6's parent company talks about AI, graphic violence, and more: Report

GTA 6 was confirmed to be on track for its planned fall of 2025 release window during Take-Two Interactive's Q3 2025 earnings call held on February 6, 2025. The company's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, recently appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box show for an interview where he was asked various questions, some of them related to the much-anticipated Rockstar Games title.

One of the questions was about its graphics. The interviewer asked how much of it was AI, and where that technology stands in the industry at the moment. Zelnick responded by saying that they have been using digital tools since the very beginning and that he doesn't doubt they will continue to innovate:

"We've been using digital tools since the very beginning, so I would say the interactive entertainment business is an innovator within what people call AI now, and I don't doubt that we will continue to innovate."

The Take-Two CEO further remarked that the tools may be digital, but the creative genius was human.

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CEO of GTA 6 developer's parent company is reportedly not worried about the game potentially causing violence in real-life

As per a report by RockstarIntel, Strauss Zelnick was asked in the interview whether he was concerned about events happening in Grand Theft Auto 6 being replicated in real life due to the realistic graphics. This was in reference to debates over gun violence being caused by video games.

Here's what the Take-Two Interactive CEO reportedly answered:

"Well, to be clear, entertainment doesn’t create behaviour. Entertainment reflects behaviour. Entertainment gives people an opportunity to release feelings and engage in feelings. Entertainment tells stories. The notion entertainment creating behaviour has been tested and disproved over and over again. We have a test case: when you watch TV and movies of any times they’re very realistic looking so I’m not worried about photorealistic video games."

Strauss Zelnick also referred to GTA 5 selling over 210 million units during the CNBC interview. This was revealed during the recent earnings call. He labeled the game as a "standard bearer" for the company as well as the gaming industry. He continued by saying that there was "enormous anticipation" for GTA 6 at the company and in the marketplace and that Take-Two couldn't be more excited.

The CEO even talked about Rockstar Games putting in a "desire for creative perfection" in its titles, which is why they take a long time and are complex.

A screenshot from Grand Theft Auto 6's first official trailer (Image via Rockstar Games)

As mentioned, GTA 6 is scheduled to be released during the fall of 2025 and will be the first new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series since 2013. Take-Two has a few other titles expected to release this year as well, such as Mafia: The Old Country, Civilization 7, and Borderlands 4.

Also check: Take-Two CEO reportedly claims not to hear any "worries" about GTA 6