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Take-Two Interactive’s Positive Cash Flow Opens Up Opportunities for Acquisitions, Says CEO
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick reported strong financial results, with net bookings exceeding expectations thanks to titles like NBA 2K and the Grand Theft Auto series. The company anticipates over $1 billion in cash flow for the upcoming fiscal year, enabling potential mergers and acquisitions. The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch on November 19th for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with pre-orders already indicating record-breaking sales potential.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Could Shatter Launch Week Sales Records
Newzoo reports that Grand Theft Auto 6 is projected to shatter launch week sales records, potentially earning between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion globally. Pre-orders on the PlayStation Store have already reached $180 million in the US and five major European markets within the first week. The article also discusses the implications of digital-only sales and the game's potential impact on the lagging video game market.
After GTA San Andreas' Hot Coffee debacle, Rockstar makes a "huge effort" to wipe anything cut from its game to avoid accidentally shipping it, ex-dev says
A former Rockstar Games producer revealed that the studio now makes a significant effort to remove all cut content from game files to prevent accidental shipping, a practice implemented after the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 'Hot Coffee' scandal. This scandal involved a hidden, explicit minigame that was discovered by players, leading to legal backlash and a reissued version of the game without the content.
'GTA 6 needs this': This GTA 5 prison mod turns one of roleplay's most enduring staples into a game…
A new mod for Grand Theft Auto 5, called Jailbreak, introduces a prison sentence system to singleplayer, mirroring the consequences found in Grand Theft Auto Roleplay servers. The mod allows players to serve sentences in Bolingbroke Penitentiary based on their wanted level, featuring elements like prison transport, processing, and escape mechanics. The article suggests that Grand Theft Auto 6 could benefit from such a system, given the prominence of prison in its early reveals.
How Nintendo will beat PlayStation and Xbox to win the console wars - Reader's Feature
A reader argues that Nintendo is poised to win the console wars by avoiding the mistakes of PlayStation and Xbox, who are criticized for focusing too much on power and expensive hardware. The author believes Nintendo's focus on gameplay, creative freedom for developers, and more affordable pricing will attract a larger player base and developers, leading to their eventual dominance.
Shack Chat: What is your favorite Grand Theft Auto game?
Shacknews staff members share their favorite entries in the Grand Theft Auto series, with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto 5 being frequently cited. Contributors recall memorable missions, soundtracks, and the overall impact these games had on their gaming experiences.
GTA 5 dev "can only imagine the size of GTA 6" – "It must be monstrous"
Former Grand Theft Auto 5 producer John Ricchio anticipates that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be "monstrous" in size and detail, continuing Rockstar Games' trend of increasing scope with each installment. He noted that while the development is difficult, the rewarding aspect of seeing player excitement makes it worthwhile.
Engagement Ring
Grand Theft Auto 6 has achieved the strongest pre-order campaign on record and is projected to sell between 37-51 million copies in its first week, according to analytics firm VGC. The article also briefly mentions Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced selling over 3 million copies.
Physical Games Are “Irrelevant” To GameStop’s Business, Says CEO
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen stated that physical games are irrelevant to the company's business, with software now making up less than 12% of revenue while collectibles and hardware comprise the majority. He expressed indifference to PlayStation's potential shift away from physical discs, emphasizing the company's focus on other revenue streams like collectibles and his ambition to acquire eBay.
Claims about GTA 6 pre-orders are incorrect and "absurd", analyst firm says, but it's still had the "strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded"
Market data analyst firm Newzoo has stated that claims of Grand Theft Auto 6 reaching one billion dollars in pre-orders are "absurd." The firm estimates that digital pre-orders in the US and Europe during the last week of June amounted to $180 million, projecting a global first-week revenue of approximately $260 million. Newzoo anticipates the game could generate between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion in its opening week, with a release date set for November 19th on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
'The first week of pre-orders brought in $180 million' — Analysts report that GTA 6 has 'the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded'
Market research firm Newzoo reports that Grand Theft Auto 6 has achieved the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded, earning approximately $180 million in digital pre-orders in the US and major European markets during the last week of June. The firm estimates the game is on track for $3.3 to $5.2 billion in cumulative global sales by the end of its launch week, projecting around 51 million copies sold. Despite social media rumors, Newzoo clarified that the game has not yet reached a billion dollars in pre-orders.
GTA 5 had "so much" cut content, including minigames that were almost "completely done," former Rockstar dev says: "They'll throw out entire levels"
Former Rockstar Games producer John Ricchio revealed that Grand Theft Auto 5 had a significant amount of cut content, including fully completed minigames and even entire levels. These cuts were often made due to the immense animation workload required to maintain a consistent quality across the game's vast scope. Ricchio noted that such decisions, while sometimes difficult for developers, are a natural part of large-scale game production.
GTA Online mimics reality by nerfing payouts after making everything cost more: 'Prices go up, paychecks go…
Rockstar Games has significantly nerfed payouts for heists in Grand Theft Auto Online, making it harder for players to earn in-game currency while property and vehicle prices remain high. This change, which includes reduced rewards for popular heists like the Diamond Casino and the new Kortz Center heist, has been met with community backlash. Rockstar has introduced weekly bonuses to compensate, but players feel these do not make up for the drastic reduction in earnings.
Games Inbox: Are you playing EA Sports FC more because of the World Cup?
Readers discuss their current engagement with EA Sports FC, with some playing less due to the lack of an official World Cup license and the team's performance. Other topics include potential Grand Theft Auto 6 boycotts, Xbox's mobile gaming strategy, the future of console design, and the impact of industry layoffs on studios like id Software.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Hacker Has Been Moved to Prison to Await Retrial
Arion Kurtaj, the hacker responsible for the Grand Theft Auto 6 leak in September 2022, has been moved to a prison to await a retrial in November. Kurtaj, a member of the Lapsus$ hacking group, was previously deemed unfit to stand trial due to acute autism. The leak resulted in 90 videos of an early build of Grand Theft Auto 6 being released online.
Grand Theft Auto 5 Had “So Much Stuff” That Got Cut Due to Animation Team Working on Other Things
Grand Theft Auto 5 producer John Ricchio revealed that numerous completed minigames and activities were cut from the game due to extensive animation work required for other aspects. Rockstar Games is now focused on Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set for release on November 19th for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a PC release yet to be confirmed.
Amid FBI investigation into Steam malware, Florida man arrested and charged with stealing crypto currency as part of…
A Florida man, Zyaire Dontaevious Zamarion Wilkins, has been arrested and charged in connection with an FBI investigation into a Steam malware scheme that allegedly stole at least $220,000 in cryptocurrency. The malware was embedded in several games on Steam, which have since been removed. Wilkins faces up to 10 years in prison under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Grand Theft Auto 6 leaker who was given an indefinite sentence in 2023 because he wouldn't stop hacking is now out…
Arion Kurtaj, the hacker responsible for the Grand Theft Auto 6 footage leak and other high-profile cybercrimes, has reportedly been released from a secure hospital and is now in prison awaiting a retrial. Kurtaj, who was found to be part of the Lapsus$ hacking group, was initially sentenced to a secure hospital due to his acute autism and continued intent to commit cybercrime. He is now awaiting a retrial scheduled for November, the same month Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch.
GTA 6 could earn half of GTA 5's lifetime sales in one week predicts analyst
An analyst report from Newzoo suggests Grand Theft Auto 6 could generate between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion in its launch week, potentially earning half of Grand Theft Auto 5's lifetime sales in just seven days. This projection refutes earlier claims of $1 billion in pre-orders within an hour, stating actual pre-order revenue was around $180 million in late June.
GTA 6 is on track for "the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded" and up to $5 billion in sales by…
An analyst report from Newzoo projects Grand Theft Auto 6 to achieve the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded, potentially generating between $3.3 billion and $5.2 billion in global sales by the end of its launch week. The report refutes claims of billions already earned in pre-orders, deeming them absurd, and suggests the game will closely follow the sales curve of a proven sequel. Grand Theft Auto 5 producer John Riccitiello also indicated that Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely skip a PC launch to prioritize consoles.
