Even though Sony is assuring that it has enough PS5 memory reserves for the rest of the year, reports of console shortages heading into Winter remain a very real fear. Why? Because of Grand Theft Auto 6’s November launch. Estimated to sell a minimum of 37 million copies in its first week, pre-orders have been impressive enough for Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick to comment on.
The company is doubtlessly counting on the open-world title having a long tail, which could be affected if memory costs continue to rise over the next two years. There’s also the impact that they could have on next-gen consoles, reportedly set to debut in Holiday 2027.
In an investor’s call (transcript by Yahoo! Finance), Zelnick said, “Look, the rising cost of hardware is not a good thing, and we wouldn’t argue that it is.
“I don’t think it will slow us down any because, you know… we believe we’re delivering experiences that people want. However, a lower price point for hardware would be a good thing because there’d be more hardware in people’s hands. So I cannot argue this is a positive, but equally we don’t see it as a headwind either.”
There’s also good news for PC gamers, as Zelnick considers it a factor in the world moving towards more “open systems.” “20 years ago, when we showed up here at Take-Two for a console release that was available on PC at launch, PC would represent one to two percent of the overall sales. Today, that can be 40 or 50 percent in a similar situation.”
That doesn’t exactly tell us when Grand Theft Auto 6 could launch on PC, but it’s a reaffirmation that the platform remains important for Take-Two (in case you had any doubts).
For now, however, it’s completely focused on its launch for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on November 19th, with an Extended Look premiering on August 27th via Netflix. While it’s safe to expect a significant amount of gameplay, you should probably temper any expectations about a potential reveal of the next Grand Theft Auto Online.
