Given that Take-TwoвЂ™s Rockstar Studios endured issues of its own prior to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, specifically with regards to enforced overtime, it begs the question as to where Zelnick sees Tale-Two right now in terms of the group offering a healthy working environment. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard continues to face a charge sheet that includes endemic sexual harassment, a culture of bullying, and a lack of diversity. There is continued upheaval at Ubisoft, as employees seek meaningful change amidst an exodus of high profile leads. вЂњAnd that itвЂ™s really important to have a great culture so that when things go awry, you work together as a team with the strongest possible morale to continue to achieve your common goals.вЂќДespite most studios remaining empty for much of the year, the workplace has been a focus for many in the industry of late. вЂњThe primary lesson is one we already knew, which is to hope for the best and prepare for the worst,вЂќ says Zelnick. Revenues may be up on pre-pandemic levels, but what about the lessons learned during the pandemic itself? ThatвЂ™ll be dependent on the quality of our titles.вЂќ вЂњHowever, whatвЂ™s going on is consistent with what weвЂ™ve said during the pandemic: I said that I felt post-pandemic demand вЂ“ and I think we are post-pandemic, I think weвЂ™re in the new normal вЂ“ would be greater than pre-pandemic demand, but less than the demand we experienced during the pandemic. You like it when that happens, as opposed to the contrary.вЂќ So things certainly are going better than we had anticipated. Recurrent consumer spending was up 7 per cent when we had expected an 11 per cent decline.

вЂњIn the quarter our net bookings were up about 3 per cent year over year, and we had expected a decline. However, it was always likely that, as vaccines were rolled out and the population returned to some semblance of normality, the growth of the last year might not be sustained. ItвЂ™s fair to say that the gaming industry has done rather well out of the ongoing COVID pandemic, especially during 2020 when millions of lapsed and future gamers were trapped in their homes with only digital entertainment to distract them from the news. The difference, of course, is that Cyberpunk was next gen, whereas for all their spit and polish, the GTA remasters are very much not. Some have likened the GTA TrilogyвЂ™s release to that of CD ProjektвЂ™s launch of Cyberpunk 2077 last year, in terms of how poorly received both have been. We spoke to Zelnick on the day of the release for the Definitive Edition of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, a release that has endured a number of issues вЂ“ not least the Rockstar Games launcher being down for three days. And you know,вЂќ Zelnick continues, вЂњweвЂ™ve seen with Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold over 155 million units, and with Grand Theft Auto Online, which is still growing and having great results with new content, eight years after its initial release, that Grand Theft Auto continues to feel fresh to consumers, continues to feel exciting, and continues to feel relevant.вЂќ вЂњAs a part of entertainment culture, Grand Theft Auto, the franchise, is almost certainly the most important and the highest grossing entertainment property of all time, so I donвЂ™t think you can overstate its importance. On these issues and more we questioned Take-TwoвЂ™s CEO Strauss Zelnick on where he perceives the organisation to be as the world angles itself to face another challenging year.Д¬learly the GTA franchise is a huge contributor to Take-TwoвЂ™s bottom line, but is there a responsibility to sustain the seriesвЂ™ legacy thatвЂ™s in sync with the desire to profit from it? Then there is the growing prominence of the вЂњmetaverseвЂќ, blockchain technology and NFTs, opinions on which continue to divide the industry.

However, for all the success that GTA has delivered, Take-Two and the wider gaming industry continue to face a number of challenges, from a global pandemic that is diminished but by no means over, to persistent issues of workplace diversity, and a perceived over reliance on core franchises.

For a game that was birthed on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, thereвЂ™s no sign that interest in RockstarвЂ™s open world behemoth is waning, in spite of all the other, newer, diversions that gaming offers. In the wake of its last earnings call, for example, it was revealed that Grand Theft Auto V вЂ“ soon to be released for a third successive console generation вЂ“ had shifted five million more units in the last quarter, while GTA OnlineвЂ™s player base is 11 per cent larger and spending 33 per cent more. It may be the third largest publisher behind EA and Activision Blizzard, but with Grand Theft Auto driving much of its success, Take-Two is very much at the top of its game.

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