Take-Two is looking forward to a bright future. In the latest annual report, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed more than just optimism—and dispelled any remaining doubts regarding the release of GTA VI.
For a brief moment, speculation had resurfaced: Will GTA VI actually be released on November 19, or is there still a delay? The question has been definitively answered, at the latest, by publisher Take-Two’s latest annual report. CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed “the release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19” right at the start of the mandatory earnings call.
On the one hand, this could confirm insider information about the launch of the online world in late 2026. On the other hand, from the perspective of the Take-Two CEO, the game is primarily intended to be the driving force behind an extremely successful fiscal year. Led by this blockbuster title, Zelnick expects “new record levels of operating performance in fiscal year 2027.” Record levels that are expected to be sustained in the long term: “We expect to maintain this higher level, generate strong cash flows, and create long-term shareholder value.”
That would indeed be record-breaking. After all, according to the latest announcement, net bookings for the current quarter, amounting to $1.58 billion, are already “above the company’s forecast range.” The same can be said for the entire fiscal year. Overall, net bookings rose by a whopping 19 percent compared to fiscal year 2025, reaching $6.72 billion.
“Our performance in fiscal year 2026 was exceptional and exceeded our original expectations across every label,” Zelnick noted, attributing this once again to “recurring consumer spending.” This term, which encompasses subscriptions but primarily in-game purchases, accounted for a whopping 82 percent of net bookings compared to the same quarter last year. An increase of seven percent.
NBA shines – GTA V offers hope for a sequel
NBA 2K26 was primarily responsible for this. The basketball simulation and its predecessor are listed as some of the strongest revenue drivers in the company’s largest revenue stream. Similar to FC 26, the online modes in particular offer numerous shops where players apparently keep coming back for more.
But it wasn’t just the 2K division—which also saw positive mention of the wrestling spin-off WWE 2K26—that impressed. The predecessor to GTA VI also appears in the overview of the quarter’s most financially potent titles. This is likely due primarily to the online world of the now 13-year-old title, which continues to enjoy great popularity as a role-playing sandbox. And this underscores that Zelnick’s and Take-Two’s hopes regarding the sequel are not unfounded.
