Take-Two Thinks Day One Game Pass Releases Are Irrational

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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Take-Two Interactive is among the biggest publishers in the industry. With lucrative IPs like Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, Borderlands, and more under their belt, they are immensely successful. However, one thing they shy away from is Game Pass.

According to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, they don’t prefer releasing their IPs on Game Pass on day one because that is not a rational move.

Why it matters: As successful as Take-Two is, it doesn’t have to release titles on Game Pass. The company has published hits after hits that don’t necessarily need the assistance of a subscription.

However, that isn’t to say that they don’t support subscriptions. They are fine with their legacy titles coming to these services but don’t want to release their new AAA titles on them because it just isn’t good for business.

Furthermore, talking to Gamesindustry.biz, Zelnick said that games like Call of Duty coming to Game Pass will boost numbers, but only for a while. Therefore, this still doesn’t tempt Take-Two to consider the platform for day-one releases.

No, it won’t affect our decisions, because our decisions are rational.

– Strauss Zelnick 

Take-Two recently revealed their financial report that confirmed the latest sales numbers for their titles. Red Dead Redemption 2 is sitting at 65 million, while GTA 5 has crossed 200 million units sold. These numbers are nothing short of staggering.

This shows why the publisher is fine with ignoring Game Pass. The company made similar comments in the past, and it seems that its views on the service have not changed much over the years.

Take-Two has also released its titles on Game Pass before. GTA 5 was available for quite a few months after being removed in January. Nonetheless, the publisher is now preparing for GTA 6, which comes out in the fall of 2025.

Abdullah Waseem

News Reporter

Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.