“A lot of people will call in sick” to play “GTA VI”, says CEO

The launch of “GTA VI” is still scheduled for November 19th and, despite there still being a few months to go, players’ anxiety is getting higher and higher. However, it seems that players are not the only ones with high expectations.

The CEO of the publisher responsible for launching the game, Take-Two Interactive, made some statements in a press conference aimed at executives from the video game industry where he shows confidence in relation to the launch of “GTA VI”.

According to the IGN website Strauss Zelnick stated in this press conference that he believes that “many people will call in sick on November 19th”thus missing work to be able to play “GTA VI”.

The great expectation surrounding “GTA VI” is due not only to the quality history of games developed by producer Rockstar Games, but also to the fact that it is the first new game in the franchise since September 2013 – when “GTA V” was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Taking this into account, Zelnick admits that it will be difficult to measure the success of “GTA VI”, noting that it is “scary” think that the game will have to live up to expectations.

“What we aim to do is create the most impressive piece of entertainment in history – which is a pretty daunting challenge”said Zelnick. “If we achieve this and provide good service to our customers, the benefits will appear naturally”.

How much will “GTA VI” cost?

With the increase in prices that has been felt in the world of video games, many believe that “GTA VI” could present a higher value than normal. Those who believe in this hypothesis point out that the longevity provided by the online world and the high investment in production by Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive can contribute to the game having an above-average price.

In May 2025, it was speculated that “GTA VI” could become the most expensive game in history, with development costs exceeding one billion dollars. On the other hand, in March 2025 a rumor circulated that “GTA VI” could hit stores with a cost of around R$600.

In August 2025 it was Zelnick’s turn to talk about the subject, noting that the objective was to “offer more value than what is charged”.

This was an idea now repeated by the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, who took advantage of the press conference with other executives from the gaming world to state that the idea involves reaching a fair price.

“Consumers pay for the value it gives them and our job is to charge much, much, much less for the value that is delivered”Zelnick explained. “The feeling you get when you buy something is the relationship between the product itself and the price you pay. Consumers have to feel that the product itself is incredible and that the price charged was fair for what they received”.