Can AI ever truly capture the magic of Grand Theft Auto? That's the million-dollar question, especially with the highly anticipated GTA 6 slated for release in May 2026. Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has a definitive answer: No.
The internet is currently awash with AI-generated content, from text to videos, often referred to as 'AI slop.' Even gaming companies like Sony are exploring AI-powered characters. But, according to Zelnick, the Grand Theft Auto universe will remain a realm untouched by AI's creative hand.
Take-Two, through its Rockstar Games subsidiary, is responsible for the GTA franchise. Zelnick, in a discussion with Carolyn Dailey, highlighted the creative process behind developing a new video game, emphasizing the importance of originality and steering clear of derivative works.
He shared, as reported by Gamesradar, "In Hollywood it’s common to pitch your product as 'it’s a combination of Spiderman meets Batman meets Back to the Future.' We don’t do that here; we want something that you’ve never seen before.”
Why is AI deemed incapable of creating a GTA game?
Originality is key to a game's success, and according to Zelnick, this is where AI falls short. AI, in its current form, relies on pre-existing data.
Zelnick explained, "This is why I’m not worried about AI creating hits, because it’s built on data that already exists. It’s backwards-looking.”
On the other hand, Zelnick's team is composed of the
