“I think our goal is to deliver something to consumers that has never been experienced before. Being on the sidelines but close enough to the field is very, very exciting. And terrifying. Because the expectations are so high,” Zelnick begins. Such pressure seems logical: GTA V has sold over 225 million copies since 2013, making it the second best-selling game in history behind Minecraft. As for GTA 6, some analysts predict sales exceeding 25 million units on the first day (it should be noted that the total console market – PS5 and Xbox Series – on which the game will be exclusive corresponds to just over 100 million units, and will certainly grow on this occasion). This also implies that if GTA 6 were to sell 10 million copies in one day (an unprecedented score for any other production), it would almost be considered a failure given the expectations surrounding the game.
As a reminder, the game has been in development for over eight years by a team of thousands of people at Rockstar. Its budget is undisclosed, but it is estimated to be significantly above the usual AAA productions, which commonly cost several hundred million dollars. On this matter, here is what Zelnick had to say: “development costs have continued to rise. And despite the influence of AI, we have not yet seen these costs decline. Maybe that will happen. Maybe not.”
Absence of PC Release Explained
But then, why won’t the game be released on PC right away? This would have significantly expanded the player base who could buy the game as soon as it hits the shelves at the end of the year. Zelnick himself recognizes that PCs now represent 45 to 50% of sales for a major title, compared to 5% twenty years ago for NBA 2K. The market has evolved, but Rockstar seems determined to continue in its current direction: “Rockstar always starts on console because I think with this type of release, we are judged on how we serve the heart of the community. If your core consumer is not served first and in the best way, you won’t reach the other consumers,” Zelnick announces. He also specifies that this choice is not linked to a marketing agreement with Sony (since the game will also be accessible on Xbox Series from November 19).
Crunch Culture
The release of GTA VI seems to intimidate the big boss of Take-Two, who obviously refrained from commenting on the other news related to the game this week, namely the fact that a supposed Rockstar employee mentioned deteriorating working conditions as the game’s launch approaches, with a crunch culture that has become unbearable in recent weeks. The testimony, shared on Glassdoor, speaks of increased pressure for the past month, mentions numerous unpaid overtime hours, significantly extended working hours (some employees working until 3 am), among other issues. The author of this alert also emphasizes that working conditions have significantly worsened at Rockstar recently, impacting both mental health for themselves and their teams. While there is no doubt that Rockstar is currently in crunch mode (a common practice for them), it is currently impossible to confirm the authenticity of this anonymous alert. It is also worth noting that previous attempts by Rockstar employees to unionize have not been well-received… Don’t worry, the big game will be released. But at what cost?
/2024/11/14/maxnewsspecial782894-6735a80f45684174177571.jpg "Champions League: PSG honors all of French football, hails Philippe Diallo, president of the FFF")
