Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has denied recent claims of Rockstar Games employees facing crunch during the development of the upcoming GTA VI.
During an interview with Business Insider (via Reset Era member RandomlyRandom67), Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick denied recent claims of Rockstar Games employees facing crunch during the development of the GTA VI, comparing the situation to his college days, saying that he never needed to stay up all night because he did his homework on schedule. “It’s sort of like when I was in college. I never pulled an all-nighter because I was good about doing my homework,” he said. “You do your homework, you don’t pull an all-nighter.”
Furthermore, Zelnick reminded of Rockstar Games’ mission to create a “perfect” experience for players. “It’s Rockstar leadership that engages people in this extraordinary mission to create something perfect,” he mentioned. “I think people are bought into that.” In reference to GTA VI’s multiple delays, the Take-Two Interactive CEO said that delaying a game’s launch is sometimes necessary, as crunch isn’t part of how the company operates today.
Zelnick’s statement on crunch comes after recent reviews on Glassdoor suggested that Rockstar Games employees are facing crunch ahead of the release of GTA VI. Feedback from multiple roles, including a QA analyst, a game tester, and a software engineer, claimed intense workloads, extended hours, and no compensation.
The QA analyst described a sharp escalation in workload over the recent period, stating that “the work schedule has been hectic since last month,” with some employees reportedly working late into the night after already completing full daytime shifts. The same individual claimed that “you are expected to work overtime without pay,” and that deadlines have been compressed, with tasks typically requiring “5 to 6 months” now expected to be completed in “2–3 months.”
GTA VI is set for release on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
