Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick Claps Back At Investor Over GTA 6 Delays

Take-Two Boss Hits Back At Investors Over GTA 6 Delay Concerns Published Sep 17, 2026, 3:23 PM EDT Nazmul Roosevelt is a journalist who has spent years covering the video games industry with a focus on clarity, accessibility, and genuine curiosity. He works to help players understand the people, craft, and decisions behind the entertainment they love. From game developers, to the technical artists, and communities shaping modern gaming; if you have a story worth sharing, he’s always open to hearing it... And if you happen to know anything about that secret Twin Peaks game in development, he’d especially like to talk. Sign in to your TheGamer account It isn't long until Grand Theft Auto 6 launches worldwide, and after 13 years since Grand Theft Auto 5 hit store shelves, the wait has taken its toll. As long as the wait has been for us, Take-Two's shareholders appear to be even more impatient, as one of them directly questions management's competence. As reported by GamesRadar, CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked this particular tense question during the virtual shareholder meeting. "Many shareholders have tolerated years of delays, missed expectations, and continued dependence on a small number of major franchises," the shareholder highlighted. Then, they questioned the credibility of leadership within the company, followed by a threat as to whether or not the board should replace senior executives if "operational performance" were not to improve. Zelnick hit back. After agreeing that they would replace senior executives if that were indeed the case before following up, "I would, however, quibble with your characterization in the question, when this management team took over the company in March of '07, the revenue of the company was under a billion dollars." He continued, outlining the issues the company had previously faced. "The company was under investigation by at least four government entities, had not filed annual reports in 13 months, and had not scheduled an annual meeting, despite obligations to do so," Zelnick says. "They had one major franchise in GTA. The rest of the business was losing money, and the company was very nearly bankrupt." Grand Theft Auto 6 Publisher Clashes Against Investor Frustration Zelnick Relayed His History Of Pulling Take-Two Out Of The Brink With twenty years of tenure, most of Zelnick's time spent at the company can be attributed to Grand Theft Auto 6's lengthy development period. To understand why he is so protective of the higher-ups at Take-Two, you have to understand what he was getting into when he took the job. When his team came in to start clearing up the mismanagement of the company in 2007, Zelnick did indeed become captain of a sinking ship. Revenue for the company was under a billion dollars, according to reports at that time, making it unrecognizable from the Take-Two of today, as it is projected to rake in $8-8.2 billion. That isn't to say Take-Two is scandal-free. There are currently allegations of union busting levied against Take-Two and Rockstar, which are being heard in court this week. It remains to be seen if Take-Two can stick the landing when GTA 6 launches on November 19, later this year. Systems Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Genre(s) Action, Adventure