Take-Two CEO: GTA VI Needs Aggressive Marketing Despite Brand
Strauss Zelnick explains why creating player enthusiasm goes beyond global recognition for the upcoming game.
By Giovanni Sapere
2 min readHuman-Edited, AI-Assisted
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick recently stated that *Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI)*, despite its global brand recognition, will require an "aggressively" marketed campaign. Speaking at the GamesBeat Insider event, Zelnick emphasized the need to generate enthusiasm and clearly present the game's offerings to players, distinguishing it from mere awareness. This strategy aims to engage audiences for the highly anticipated title.
Creating Enthusiasm Beyond Awareness
Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, articulated that global brand awareness alone is insufficient for the successful launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. During an interview at the GamesBeat Insider event, Zelnick highlighted the distinction between brand recognition and active player enthusiasm. He cited the Barbie movie as an example of a well-known property that still benefited from a robust marketing campaign, demonstrating the need to actively engage audiences even for established franchises 1.
“You always have to go out and create enthusiasm.”
— Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO
“We cannot convince people something that something that's bad is good.”
— Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO
The Role of Content Creators and Marketing Limits
Zelnick noted that while marketing games shares similarities with promoting TV and movies in striving for positive reviews and fan excitement, games can also be elevated by content creators with dedicated followings. However, he stressed the limitations of such partnerships, stating that "you cannot convince people something that something that's bad is good." Attempting to do so would cause creators to lose credibility with their audience. While companies can reward creators for exclusively playing a game for a few days, Zelnick emphasized that the system cannot be gamed to promote a subpar product 1.
Take-Two's Mission and Future Focus
Take-Two Interactive's stated mission is to create the "best entertainment on earth," a goal that remains central to its strategy, according to Zelnick. The company's focus on this mission comes amidst significant public and industry interest, particularly with the highly anticipated launch of GTA VI. This period also includes ongoing legal proceedings concerning Rockstar Games in the UK regarding a union busting tribunal, though this specific topic was not addressed with Zelnick during the GamesBeat interview 1.
