Take-Two CEO defends GTA 6 delays, hints at Cyberpunk 2077

Because Zelnick treats them as part of the company's mission, even when they're expensive. The interview was a WSJ Events session with the Wall Street Journal, and GamesRadar+ reported it, with Catherine Lewis writing the story.

Zelnick admits these are very difficult decisions. He says that if the mission is making the best entertainment on earth, and one part of a three-part strategy is being the most creative, you sometimes have to make expensive and inconvenient calls.

Many companies have a mission statement and a culture, he adds, but do the opposite when push comes to shove. That doesn't mean he says yes to everything: in another Take-Two situation he said the game was shipping, and he says he was right.

Zelnick describes a very high-profile release from the past few years whose studio stuck to its schedule and shipped despite what was going on. He says he won't throw any competitor under the bus, but his description is hard to miss.

He never says the name. GamesRadar+ assumes he means Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Red, which came off the PlayStation Store temporarily barely a week after a launch widely criticised for its bugs, with refunds on offer.

The game recovered over time through updates and is now celebrated as a great RPG. Its rocky release still casts a shadow, though.

For perspective, Cyberpunk 2077 was pulled about a week after launch, and GTA 6 is two weeks from its own.

Twice: the game was first announced for 2025, moved to May 26, 2026, and on November 6, 2025 Rockstar set it for November 19, 2026. That's the official date, per Rockstar's Newswire.

Jason Schreier's Bloomberg feature from October 14 also mentions two delays. Take-Two kept the November launch in its August 7 results, according to Reuters.

For you, the message is that Take-Two would rather spend more before launch than pull the game afterwards. Zelnick hasn't talked about specific GTA 6 bugs, and he hasn't promised a flawless launch.

Rockstar has already shown the Leonida map and Jason and Lucia in its trailers, so what's left is seeing how everything holds up on day one. If you're planning to reserve, preload starts on November 12 at 00:00 local time, and any pre-order or purchase before November 20 includes the Vice City Vintage Pack.

Zelnick gave no names and no figures on what the delays cost. Rockstar hasn't published its own explanation in the sources for this story, and the Cyberpunk 2077 link is GamesRadar+'s reading, reportedly the obvious one.

The next chance to hear from Take-Two is Monday, November 9, when it reports its second fiscal quarter results. Ten days later, on November 19, the game launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Does Zelnick name Cyberpunk 2077?

No. He describes a high-profile release that was pulled after shipping, and GamesRadar+ reads that as Cyberpunk 2077.

When does GTA 6 launch?

November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, according to Rockstar Games.

When does Take-Two report earnings?

Monday, November 9, with its second fiscal quarter results, per its investor relations site.