Take-Two CEO Explains Why GTA 6 Is Launching on Consoles First

Update (October 2026): Grand Theft Auto VI is still set for November 19, 2026, and Take-Two’s August 2026 earnings release lists it only for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. In September, Strauss Zelnick said PC is becoming “more and more important” to Take-Two, but he did not confirm a PC version of GTA 6. The original May 2026 report follows.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has explained why Grand Theft Auto VI is launching on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S first, with no PC version announced.

Speaking to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Zelnick said Rockstar is following its long-running console-first pattern because the studio wants to serve its “core consumer” first. Gaming outlets widely reported the interview on May 4.

Console players come first, Zelnick says

Zelnick said Rockstar always starts on console because a release of this size is judged by how well it serves “the core consumer.” If those players are not served first and best, he argued, a game does not reach its other audiences.

In short, Rockstar still sees console players as the main audience for a Grand Theft Auto launch. If you are still on last-generation hardware, we have weighed up whether to upgrade from PS4 to PS5 before GTA 6.

Was it a PlayStation deal?

Fans have long suspected that Sony’s co-marketing deal with Rockstar, where the two companies promote the game together, was the real reason for the console-first approach. Schreier put that theory to Zelnick directly.

“No,” Zelnick said. “I mean, historically Rockstar’s gone to console first.”

How big is PC for Take-Two?

The “core consumer” reasoning has drawn pushback, partly because Zelnick himself made clear how big PC has become.

When he joined Take-Two in 2007, PC accounted for around 5% of NBA 2K sales. “Now with regard to a big title, PC can be 45, 50% of the sales,” he said.

Rockstar’s history fits the pattern

Whether or not the reasoning convinces fans, Rockstar’s track record matches it.

A second sales cycle?

Zelnick also suggested the staggered approach can serve a business purpose. Releasing on PC after console could create a second selling cycle, with some players possibly buying the game twice.

“We’ll see how it works out,” he said.

Where the PC question stands now

As of October 3, 2026, Take-Two’s latest earnings release, published in August, lists Grand Theft Auto VI for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. Rockstar’s GTA VI site also carries “Plays Best On PlayStation 5” branding and points fans to PlayStation-specific benefits.

Zelnick returned to the topic at a short investors’ meeting on September 17. Asked whether PS5 Pro shortages were changing Take-Two’s PC plans, he said the company’s general strategy over time is to release on any platform with a meaningful audience. He added that “the PC platform is becoming more and more important” to Take-Two, GamesRadar reported.

GamesRadar read the comments as a sign that a PC port, a version adapted for PC, is a matter of time. But it noted that Zelnick stopped just short of confirming one for GTA 6.

No PC date or window has been given in the Take-Two and Rockstar materials reviewed for this update. We have also looked at whether a PS5 emulator could let GTA 6 run on PC before an official release.

PC timing rumors (unconfirmed)

Rockstar and Take-Two have not confirmed the following. On the September 4 episode of the VGC podcast, VGC’s Andy Robinson said there was “a bit of noise” about the PC version arriving sooner than some people expect, VICE reported.

Robinson tied the idea to the wider situation around consoles, which Game Rant took to mean rising hardware prices. VGC also suggested PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles could be hard to find at launch.

VICE noted it was unclear whether Robinson had a specific source, and he gave no date.