Console Gamers are the Main Audience for Rockstar
GTA 6, being a massive game that has been anticipated for years, has a launch strategy that’s being discussed as much as the game itself. Rockstar’s decision to release the game first on consoles and then on PC isn’t surprising to some players, but it’s creating debate given the size of the PC gaming community today. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says there’s a simple reason behind this choice: Rockstar’s main audience is still console players.
Rockstar Prioritizes Console Players
In an interview with Bloomberg, Strauss Zelnick stated that GTA 6’s initial console release wasn’t due to a PlayStation deal. According to the CEO, this decision is a continuation of Rockstar’s historical publishing strategy. The studio has released its major games on consoles first in the past, and the same approach is being maintained with GTA 6.
The most striking point in Zelnick’s statement was the emphasis on the “core player base.” According to him, in a massive game like GTA 6, it’s crucial to first provide the best experience for the core audience. If this core player group isn’t satisfied, expanding the game to a wider audience becomes difficult. Rockstar’s view of console players as its main audience is therefore central to their strategy.
Nevertheless, the importance of the PC side is now much greater than before. Zelnick points out that in Take-Two’s early years, the PC share of NBA 2K sales was only around 5%, but today, for major games, this figure can reach 45-50%. So the company isn’t ignoring the PC audience, but Rockstar’s priority is still consoles.
For now, it’s unknown how long after the console release the PC version of GTA 6 will arrive. This uncertainty is naturally frustrating for PC players. However, judging by Take-Two’s statements, Rockstar will prefer to polish the console experience first and then move on to the PC side. This suggests the studio will continue with its familiar, but still debated, broadcasting policy.
Read More: GTA 6 Expectations Are Even Scaring Rockstar
