Following the release of its latest financial report, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick appeared on CNBC to discuss the company’s activities and preparations for the launch of GTA 6. During the interview, he was asked whether the new game could potentially lead to an increase in real-world violence.
According to Zelnick, he is not concerned that players will start engaging in shootouts on the streets, as studies have already debunked the notion that video games negatively impact human psychology.
"To be clear: entertainment doesn’t create behaviour, entertainment reflects behaviour. Entertainment gives people an opportunity to release feelings, engage in feelings, entertainment tells stories. The notion [that] entertainment creating behaviour has been tested and disproved over and over again," Zelnick stated.
The executive added that photorealistic graphics are unlikely to make any significant difference. "When you watch TV and movies from any time they’re very realistic looking so I’m not worried about photorealistic video games," Zelnick explained.
The release of the crime-action game is still scheduled for fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.