Take-Two Interactive just released its yearly earnings report, while also giving us a big hint that the next Grand Theft Auto game is launching in 2024.
As IGN reports, alongside Take-Two's report, the publisher released a prepared remarks document (PDF) including details of what to expect in Fiscal 2025 (which starts in April 2024). The key "looking ahead" section reads as follows:
"For the last several years, we have been preparing our business to release an incredibly robust pipeline of projects that we believe will take our company to even greater levels of success. In Fiscal 2025, we expect to enter this new era by launching several groundbreaking titles that we believe will set new standards in our industry and enable us to achieve over $8 billion in Net Bookings and over $1 billion in Adjusted Unrestricted Operating Cash Flow. We expect to sustain this momentum by delivering even higher levels of operating results in Fiscal 2026 and beyond."
Take-Two's net bookings over the past fiscal year were $5.3 billion, but that included contributions from Zynga which the publisher acquired last year. It's more typical for the publisher to achieve $3 billion in net bookings, suggesting there needs to be an absolutely huge game release in Fiscal 2025 that's guaranteed to sell millions of copies in order for it to get anywhere near $8 billion. There's only one game Take-Two has on its books that's guaranteed to do those kinds of numbers: Grand Theft Auto 6.
The comment regarding Fiscal 2026 being an even better year than 2025 also ties in to Grand Theft Auto 6 releasing next year as it would inevitably be followed by the launch of a new GTA Online experience. Back in 2014, GTA Online was Take-Two's largest contributor to digitally-delivered revenue, and a GTA 6 variant would no doubt achieve the same during Fiscal 2026.
IGN asked Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick if we can expect a new GTA release next year to account for all those extra predicted billions. Of course, he refused to confirm or deny it. At least we know the game is definitely in development and gameplay footage leaked in September last year. Also, this isn't the first time a 2024 release window for GTA 6 has been hinted at by Take-Two.