“I think our goal is to deliver something to consumers that has never been experienced before. Being on the sidelines but quite close to the pitch is very, very exciting. And terrifying. Because the expectations are so high” begins Zelnick. Such pressure seems logical: GTA V has sold more than 225 million copies since 2013, making it the second best-selling game in history behind Minecraft. As for GTA 6some analysts predict sales exceeding 25 million units on the first day (remember that in total, the console fleet – PS5 and Xbox Series – on which the game will be exclusive corresponds to a little more than 100 million units, and will certainly grow on this occasion). This also implies that, if GTA 6 were to sell 10 million copies in one day (a score already unexpected for any other production), it would almost be considered a failure in terms of expectations surrounding the game.
As a reminder, the game has been in development for more than eight years by a team of thousands of people at Rockstar. Its budget is not communicated, but it is estimated to be significantly higher than usual AAA productions, which already routinely cost several hundred million dollars. On this issue, here is what Zelnick had to say: “development costs went up and up. And despite the influence of AI, we have yet to see these costs decline. Maybe it will come. Maybe not.”
The absence of PC output explained
But then, why won’t the game be released on PC from the start? This would have made it possible to significantly expand the base of players who could purchase the game as soon as it was released at the end of the year. Zelnick himself also recognizes that the PC today represents 45 to 50% of the sales of a major title, compared to 5% twenty years ago for NBA 2K. The market has evolved, but Rockstar seems to want to continue its momentum: “Rockstar always starts on console because I think with this type of release you are judged on how well you serve the heart of the community. If your core consumer is not served first and in the best way, you are not reaching the other consumers” announces Zelnick. He also specifies that this choice is not linked to a marketing agreement with Sony (and for good reason, since the game will also be available on Xbox Series from November 19).
Crunch culture
The release of GTA VI therefore seems to intimidate the big boss of Take-Two, who has obviously been careful not to comment on the other news of the week linked to the game, namely the fact that a supposed Rockstar employee mentioned working conditions which are deteriorating as the game approaches, and a culture of crunch which has become unbearable these days. last few weeks. The testimony, shared on Glassdoor, speaks of increased pressure over the past month, mentions numerous overtime hours (obviously unpaid), significantly extended working hours (some employees working until 3 a.m.), among other goodies. The author of this alert also specifies that working conditions have deteriorated significantly at Rockstar in recent times, this situation having had an impact on his mental health as well as that of his teams. While there is absolutely no doubt that Rockstar is in the midst of a crunch (and it is customary to do so), it should nevertheless be noted that it is currently impossible to confirm the authenticity of this anonymous alert. It will also be good to remember that previous attempts to unionize Rockstar employees have not been received in the best way… Don’t worry, the big game will come out. But at what price?
