Zelnick sidesteps GTA 6 rivalry with Zelda Ocarina
Updated
Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick calls Zelda Ocarina's 96 on Metacritic fantastic but won't frame it as a rivalry with GTA 6 ahead of November 19.
Take-Two's CEO calls the 96 Metacritic score of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake fantastic but won't treat it as a GTA 6 rival, so there's no declared showdown before November 19. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, said so in a GamesBeat interview on November 9, as relayed by Vandal and Nintendúo.
Nintendo's remake reached Switch 2 on November 5 and is the best-reviewed game of 2026, according to Nintendúo. GTA 6 launches on November 19, and its preload starts on November 12. Zelnick had to talk about both at once, and he chose not to square up.
Does GTA 6 compete with Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake?
Zelnick doesn't admit a direct rivalry between the two games.
Zelnick doesn't admit a direct rivalry between the two games. According to Nintendúo, a Nintendo-focused outlet that relays Dean Takahashi's interview at GamesBeat, he called the 96 out of 100 on Metacritic fantastic and said Nintendo should be very proud. Then he dodged the head-to-head.
The calendar explains the question: the remake has been out since November 5 on Nintendo Switch 2, and GTA 6 arrives on November 19, 2026, according to Rockstar.
In the entertainment business you compete against everything and against nothing.
Original quote“En el negocio del entretenimiento compites contra todo y contra nada.”
You compete with everything and nothing
Zelnick argues that entertainment competes with every other way of spending time and with nothing at all, because if…
Zelnick argues that entertainment competes with every other way of spending time and with nothing at all, because if there's nothing really good, people don't need to consume it. Vandal adds his food comparison: food can be bad and you're still hungry, but entertainment isn't something we must have, it's something we want to have.
His conclusion is that Take-Two's job is to make the best entertainment in the world. When it does, he says, people respond.
GoNintendo, another Nintendo news site cited by Nintendúo, reads this as Zelnick assuming GTA 6 will outsell the remake. He never said that.
The numbers on each side
The 96 puts the remake among the 30 most acclaimed games of all time on Metacritic, according to Vandal, which also…
The 96 puts the remake among the 30 most acclaimed games of all time on Metacritic, according to Vandal, which also credits it with more than 5.2 million units sold. Nintendúo adds that it's the second-best physical launch for a Zelda game in the UK.
Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake and GTA 6
- Metacritic score
- 96
- Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake
- Units sold
- 5.2 million
- Vandal's figure, Switch 2 only
- From the interview to GTA 6 launch
- 10 days
- Per GamesBeat
Source: Vandal, Nintendúo and GamesBeat
On the GTA 6 side, Vandal says it's already the most pre-ordered game in the history of the PS Store and Microsoft Store. Nintendúo says pre-orders beat expectations and notes that the physical box will only hold a download code.
Can you play both in November?
Yes, because they don't share a console.
Yes, because they don't share a console. Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, and GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, per Rockstar. If you own both machines, the only limit is your time and your wallet.
Asked about GTA 6 on Switch 2, the president of Nintendo of America said, per Nintendúo, that it's a conversation for Take-Two and Rockstar. Rockstar hasn't announced that version.
If you're buying GTA 6, the beginner's guide helps you plan the first week. The preload starts on November 12 at 00:00 local time.
Miami on November 18 is the next clue
In the same interview, GamesBeat notes that the Miami Heat will play the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18 as Vice City.
In the same interview, GamesBeat notes that the Miami Heat will play the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18 as Vice City. Zelnick answered that, at minimum, it's the most fun, and that there's nothing like taking over an entire city. He also said the marketing campaign is rolling out as planned.
The dates between the two launches
- 5 Nov 2026Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake launches on Switch 2Per Nintendúo
- 9 Nov 2026GamesBeat interview and Take-Two resultsSecond fiscal quarter results
- 12 Nov 2026GTA 6 preload and code boxPer Rockstar
- 18 Nov 2026Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks as Vice CityPer GamesBeat
- 19 Nov 2026GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|SPer Rockstar
Source: GamesBeat, Nintendúo and Rockstar Games
For perspective, the first real sales comparison with Zelda's 5.2 million units will come from whatever figures Take-Two gives after November 19.
FAQ
What did Zelnick say about Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake?
He called its Metacritic score fantastic and said Nintendo should be very proud, per Vandal. He didn't admit a direct rivalry with GTA 6.
When does GTA 6 launch?
On November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, according to Rockstar.
Which console plays Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake?
Only Nintendo Switch 2, according to Vandal, which credits it with more than 5.2 million units sold.
Cover image: Rockstar Games (gamesbeat.com)
Sources
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