Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said that expectations for Grand Theft Auto VI have reached such a level that sales of 10 million copies on the first day of release would be considered a failure. He spoke about this in an interview with Bloomberg on May 4 at the iicon conference in Las Vegas. The game releases on November 19, 2026.
Zelnik: “The expectations are so high that it’s scary”
In an interview with Bloomberg, Zelnik admitted that Grand Theft Auto VI has become the most anticipated release in the company's history. He called the expectations «terrifying», noting that any deviation from the level of a «cultural event» would be perceived as a failure.
According to Gamereactor, inside the company they believe that sales of 10 million copies on the first day will be a “disaster” , despite the fact that for any other game this would be a huge success.
Analysts predict up to 25 million copies per day
Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect that GTA VI could sell more than 25 million copies in the first 24 hours , making it the largest entertaining launch in history.
For comparison:
- GTA V earned $1 billion in three days,
- the GTA series has sold 465 million copies as of February 2026.
Investment firm Konvoy forecasts 85 million copies and $7.6 billion in revenue in first 60 days .
Development: eight years, record budgets and no cost reduction
Zelnik noted that the cost of development is growing , and the influence of AI has not yet reduced costs. He stressed that Rockstar is committed to «creating the highest quality entertainment on Earth,» which requires enormous resources.
According to Gamereactor, the budget for GTA VI may exceed $3 billion , which makes it one of the most expensive projects in the history of the industry.
Why is the game coming out on consoles first
GTA VI will be released November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version will appear later — as is the case with GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Zelnik explained that the console audience is the core of consumers , and she should be the first to get the game. He stressed that this is not related to exclusive agreements with Sony.
Expert: “This is the riskiest release in history”
Gaming analyst Mark Hill (Konvoy Capital) notes:
“No release has faced this level of expectations. GTA VI must surpass not only its competitors, but also its own legend. This is the riskiest launch in the history of the gaming industry.»
His valuation is supported by sales forecasts and record levels of pressure on Rockstar.
Background: why the stakes are so high
- GTA V — second best-selling project in history , 225 million copies.
- GTA series — 465 million copies .
- Rockstar hasn't released a new game since 2018.
- GTA VI is the studio's first major release in eight years.
Given the scale of the franchise, GTA VI should not only be successful — it should rewrite the history of the industry .
By pages https://www.bloomberg.com
Xrust GTA VI expectations are so high that 10 million copies are a failure
