"Don't play games" by the CEO of "GTA6"? The reason behind it is thought-provoking

　　Struss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two, talked about the postponement of "GTA6" (Grand Theft Auto 6) in a recent earnings call.

Although as a company executive, he could obviously experience this highly anticipated masterpiece in advance, he admitted in an interview with the media that he did not play games and gave a convincing reason. This statement triggered positive and negative discussions in the industry.

　　Rockstar Games officially announced in early May that the release date of "GTA6" was postponed from the original autumn of 2024 to May 26, 2026. This move is entirely to ensure the quality of the game. Zelnick said he was not worried about another extension: "From historical experience, when we determine a specific release date, it usually can be completed as scheduled."

In an interview with CNBC TV, when asked if he had tried GTA6 and whether the game had been completed, Zelnick said: "I am not a player - in fact I don't play games at all. I don't think I know consumers best. In the entertainment industry, if the CEO considers himself the 'number one', it's a mistake."

He added that although he would share his views with the development team, he would never interfere with the plot and game content design, because that was not his specialty. "My duty is to attract, retain and inspire the industry's top talents and then give them full creative freedom," Zelnick emphasized.

This remark has aroused heated discussion among netizens. Supporters said: "This is the attitude that a CEO should have, find outstanding talents and let them perform their respective duties", "It makes sense", "understandable", but there are also objections: "How can a person who does not play games be the CEO of a game company?", "Just like a chef says he doesn't love food", "If he doesn't play games, how can he judge which are excellent game talents?"

Some netizens pointed out that Strauss Zelnick has served as the CEO of Take-Two since 2007. During this period, the company has successfully launched classic works such as "GTA4", "Give Her Love", "Red Dead Redemption 2", etc., so there is no need to worry too much that his failure to play games will affect the quality of game development.