A tense shareholder clash over GTA 6 delays just forced Take-Two's boss

GTA fans know that the wait for the highly anticipated GTA 6 has been long and, at times, frustrating. As it turns out, the frustration has spilled over to the shareholders, too. And their concerns have forced Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick to reveal company struggles he probably would’ve preferred not to.

An investor raised concerns with a question that Zelnick took exception to on the latest Take-Two investor call. They asked:

Many shareholders have tolerated years of delays, missed expectations, and continued dependence on a small number of major franchises. If these issues persist, does the board believe that the current management team remains the right group to lead the company, or is it prepared to replace senior executives if operational performance and shareholder value do not improve?

-Take Two Investor’s Question

In 2026 fashion, Zelnick deflected responsibility away from the leadership team. In the process, he offered new information that may shed light on the slow development cycles the company has faced. If he was right, Take-Two was in serious trouble just 20 years ago.

Take-Two Was Close To Bankruptcy

Zelnick stated that in 2007, when the current group took over, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Part of that, he stated, was due to numerous government investigations into Take-Two. Aside from the GTA franchise, Take-Two was losing money.

So when GTA 5 became one of the biggest hits in video game history in 2013, it did more than thrill fans. It might have helped save Take-Two as we know it. Furthermore, GTA 5‘s status as a top-selling game for 13 years did little to create urgency to get another title to market quickly, especially since GTA Online continued digital transactions and brought in revenue. To emphasize that point, Zelnick added that Take-Two’s anticipated revenue for the year is expected to be “between 8 and 8.2 billion dollars.”

Since GTA 6 was officially announced in 2023, it has been delayed twice. With the November 12 release date quickly approaching, fans would undoubtedly be extremely disappointed if it were delayed again. Especially considering the already 13-year wait and the inflated price of GTA 6, set at $80 USD.

Are you surprised to learn that Take-Two was close to bankruptcy? Does it affect your patience for the new GTA 6 games? Or do you just want mid-November to get here already?