Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of developer Rockstar Games, should not be considered solely as a video games company. That’s according to CEO Strauss Zelnick, who stated his belief that Take-Two Interactive needs to be viewed as an entertainment corporation, and not just as a publisher of video games.
Zelnick spoke frankly about the admission during the 37th installment of the KindredCast podcast. During the discussion, he explained why Take-Two Interactive should be looked at as a company that entertains people no matter what kind of medium they enjoy.
“We’re not a video game company. We’re not an interactive entertainment company. We’re an entertainment company,” said Zelnick. “Our teams have proven that our titles can be the most important entertainment properties on Earth. And yet, it’s just the beginning of this industry, and therefore, I think, for us.”
Take-Two Interactive has been publishing games since September 1994. Star Crusader was the very first title that the company published, and it has gone on to become one of the biggest publishers in the gaming sector. Take-Two Interactive has acquired numerous game development studios including Rockstar, 2K Games, and 2K Sports. Two of the biggest video game franchises of the past 20 years—Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead—have earned billions of dollars and awards for Take-Two Interactive.
Grand Theft Auto V, which was released on September 17, 2013, became the fastest-selling entertainment product of all time. It earned $1 billion in the first three days after its release, and has sold over 95 million copies worldwide. It’s no surprise to see Take-Two Interactive shifting their focus away from merely video games with those figures, and when the lines between the video game and film industries are continuing to blur. Take-Two Interactive’s next published title, Red Dead Redemption 2, will be released on October 26 on PS4 and Xbox One.
