In a twist that left gamers both delighted and puzzled, Take-Two Interactive Software found itself scrambling after the trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI made an unexpected debut, all thanks to a crafty leak on the enigmatic platform, X.
Shares of Take-Two took a rollercoaster ride, dropping as much as 4% in extended trading on Monday when the company was caught off guard by the premature release. Originally slated to unveil the trailer with grandeur at 6 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 5, fate had other plans as a mischievous leaker operating under the handle @Gta6trailerleak on X (formerly known as Twitter) decided to spill the beans ahead of schedule.
Rockstar Games, the suave subsidiary of Take-Two, hustled to do some damage control by promptly launching the trailer on YouTube. Meanwhile, X flexed its authority muscles and suspended the account responsible for the cheeky leak.
The timing couldn’t be juicier for Grand Theft Auto VI, set to hit screens in 2025. Take Two, perhaps feeling a bit flustered but rolling with the punches, acknowledged that the leak had pushed them to reshuffle their plans.
As gamers anxiously await the next crime-filled installment, there’s a palpable buzz around the potential impact on Take Two’s revenue growth. Let’s not forget, Grand Theft Auto V, the juggernaut of its predecessors, hit the scenes in 2013 and has since become the second best-selling video game ever, boasting a whopping 190 million copies sold. It’s playing catch-up with the gaming giant Microsoft-owned Minecraft, which has seduced over 300 million gamers into its pixelated universe.
In a nod to Rockstar’s ingenuity, Sam Houser, the brains behind the operation, teased the trailer’s arrival in December, stirring up excitement among the gaming community. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, who may have practiced a few deep breaths during this unexpected plot twist, congratulated Rockstar Games on their “constant innovation in the pursuit of the highest quality interactive entertainment.”
So, mark your calendars, fellow gamers! Grand Theft Auto VI is gearing up to conquer Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, promising a wild ride that’s been well worth the suspense.
