Latest news with #TakeTwo
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Everything you need to know about GTA 6 as game listed on Xbox early
Rockstar isn't due to release Grand Theft Auto 6 until May 2026, but Xbox players were shocked to find that the world's most anticipated game was available to download from the Xbox Store a full 11 months ahead of its launch. It was too good to be true, of course. The surprise 328MB download turns out to be a placeholder file, designed to allow Rockstar Games to automatically pre-install the game to Xbox consoles when it does eventually launch next year. Rockstar hasn't even opened pre-orders for GTA 6 yet, but the frenzy around a dummy Xbox download is the latest indication of just how excited fans are to get even the faintest whiff of the game. Why was 'GTA 6' delayed? The CEO of Take-Two, which owns Rockstar Games, has confirmed why the decision was made to delay the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. The game was pushed back from its initial release window of Autumn 2025 to 26 May 2026, and Zelnick said it's because of how 'complex' the game is, describing the delay as a 'worthy investment'. In prepared remarks ahead of an earnings call, Zelnick said: 'I believe affording Rockstar additional time for such a groundbreaking project is a worthy investment. GTA 6 began development in earnest in 2020 following the massive success of Red Dead Redemption 2, and the title is now the most anticipated entertainment property of all time. 'The ambition and complexity of GTA 6 is greater than any previous Rockstar title, and the team is poised to release another astonishing entertainment experience that will exceed players' expectations.' This explanation comes after Rockstar released the second trailer for GTA 6 on 6 May, which had the biggest video launch in history with more than 475 million views across all platforms in its first 24 hours after release. It gave a fresh glimpse of protagonists Lucia and her partner – now confirmed to be named Jason – tearing through the Florida-inspired Vice City. It's the first trailer since the first teaser from December 2023, which shattered YouTube records and has since racked up more than 250 million views itself. The delay itself came on 2 May, shortly after Zelnick hinted a slip was possible despite earlier confidence in a 2025 launch window. While GTA 6 is now on the back burner until 2026, Borderlands 4, which was announced at the same time, is still scheduled to arrive in September. So, what do we know about GTA 6? When is the game releasing? And how much could it cost? We've got all the details about the upcoming instalment of the franchise. 'GTA 6' release date and trailer 2: When will the game launch? The long-awaited second trailer for GTA 6 recently landed, giving fans a fresh look at Vice City and our two new protagonists, but it came with a dose of disappointment. Rockstar officially confirmed that the game won't be arriving in 2025 as originally promised. Instead, it's now set to launch on 26 May 2026, according to a statement shared on the publisher's social media channels. It's not the first time Rockstar has delayed a major release. Take Red Dead Redemption 2, for example. The first teaser for that game arrived in October 2016 with a planned launch in the second half of 2017. It was then delayed twice, first to early 2018, and finally released on 26 October 2018 – a full two years after the teaser dropped. The timeline now looks similar for GTA 6. The game's first trailer debuted in December 2023, promising a 2025 release window. But with the new date set for May 2026, Rockstar appears to be following a familiar pattern. Timeline of 'GTA 6' release date delays Rumours of a GTA 6 delay began circulating in March 2024, when a report from Kotaku revealed insiders at Rockstar believed the game would be pushed to late 2025 or even early 2026. According to the report, development had started to 'fall behind,' with Rockstar leadership concerned the studio wouldn't hit its original target. Just a month earlier, in February 2024, Rockstar mandated a full return to the office for its staff. While the company cited quality and security as reasons, sources told Kotaku it was also driven by mounting pressure to stay on schedule. At the time, Kotaku reported that while early 2025 had once been possible, the studio was now aiming for an Autumn 2025 launch – a sentiment echoed by Zelnick during earnings calls throughout the year. In December 2024, Zelnick teased the game as 'extraordinary and worth waiting for,' adding that it would be 'breathtaking.' That timeline was finally upended when Rockstar officially confirmed the delay and set a new release date of 26 May 2026. The news came just ahead of the release of GTA 6 's second trailer, giving fans a new glimpse at the game's setting and characters. Zelnick has also given recent interviews where he's said when a specific release date is given, it's historically been met in relation to other titles. 'GTA 6' location: Where is Vice City? The second trailer for GTA 6 confirms the game is set in the state of Leonida – Rockstar's fictional take on Florida. Vice City sits at the centre of it all, returning as the main location. This time around, the city looks bigger, more detailed and far more grounded in modern-day culture than the 1980s version seen in previous games. While Vice City still has the flashy beachfronts and neon lights, it now includes everything from pastel hotels and late-night strip clubs to busy roads, local businesses and viral-style social media clips. Areas like Ocean Beach, Little Haiti and the Tisha-Wocka flea market all appear to be part of the city. Landmarks like the VCI airport and Port VC show up again, hinting at a much larger, more complex map. The game will also include locations like the Leonida Keys – a tropical island chain – and Grassrivers, a sprawling swamp region. There's Port Gellhorn, a faded coastal town with run-down shops and motels, and Ambrosia, which is dominated by a sugar refinery and a biker gang. Mount Kalaga, a mountainous rural area in the north, rounds things out. While Vice City is the headline location, GTA 6 is shaping up to be much more than a city map. The wider state of Leonida looks like a vast world, with plenty to explore outside the city. There is speculation that the inclusion of Mount Kalaga and the mention of Gloriana, which could be a fictional state based on neighbouring Georgia, means the game will expand beyond Leonida too. 'GTA 6' story and characters: Who will be the main protagonists in the new game? Rockstar recently released character bios for GTA 6. The two main protagonists are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Jason is a former soldier working for local drug runners in the Keys, while Lucia has just been released from Leonida Penitentiary and is looking for a way to turn her life around. Cal Hampton is Jason's friend and an associate of Brian Heder. He is described as living 'at the low tide of America' and spends his time listening to Coast Guard communications while drinking at home. Brian Heder is a veteran drug smuggler from the Keys. He runs a boat yard with his third wife, Lori, and is allowing Jason to live rent-free at one of his properties in exchange for help with local shakedowns. Boobie Ike is described as a Vice City legend who owns a strip club, recording studio and property portfolio, while Dre'Quan Priest is said to be an aspiring music mogul who runs Only Raw Records and is focused on building his label's reputation in the local music scene. Real Dimez is a rap duo made up of Bae-Luxe and Roxy. They are described as using their time shaking down dealers to fund their music careers and grow their social media following. They are signed to Only Raw Records. Raul Bautista is described as a seasoned bank robber who is always on the hunt for new talent. How much is 'GTA 6' going to cost? There's still no official price, and Take-Two bosses refused to be drawn on revealing how much it will cost despite being asked about it by investors during the most recent earnings call. While rumours have suggested the game could cost up to $150 (£120) due to its reported $1bn to $2bn budget, that seems unlikely. The price of games is rising, though, with Nintendo the first to up the price of one of its star digital games to $80 (£75) with Mario Kart World. Microsoft confirmed it will be following suit and doing the same with some of its first-party titles over the pre-Christmas shopping period. There has been speculation Rockstar is likely to follow suit, however Mafia: The Old Country, published by sister Rockstar company 2K, is being sold at $49.99 (£44.99) and Zelnick said in Take-Two's most recent earnings call the company is focused on giving gamers value for money through its variable pricing model. What console will 'GTA 6' be on, and is 'GTA 6' cross-platform? GTA 6 is officially coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on 26 May 2026. Rockstar has not confirmed a PC release, and there's no mention yet of a version for PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch 2. A PC version will likely come later, based on Rockstar's usual release pattern. Cross-platform play has not been confirmed. Rockstar hasn't said anything specific about the Nintendo Switch 2, but Zelnick has previously said the Switch's audience has broadened and that 'we actually would fully expect to support Switch [2]', though GTA 6 was not mentioned by name. If it does come to the Switch 2, it'll almost certainly be well after the main launch. There's worse news for 4K support and 60fps. In 2024, Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter said the PS5 Pro was unlikely to run GTA 6 at 60fps, explaining that the series has always pushed the CPU hard. Since the PS5 Pro uses the same CPU as the base PS5, experts believe it will likely be locked to 30fps at launch, with possible upgrades later. Tech experts there have since doubled down on these claims after scrutinising the second trailer. While there are currently no deals on the standalone PS5 Slim console, if you buy the console from Very, the retailer will throw in a copy of the PS5 version of GTA 5 for just £10, saving you £10.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy Roblox Stock After Its Surge to $100?
Roblox has doubled over the last few months, with a new experience driving strong engagement. The platform is growing much faster than those of leading game makers. The stock looks expensive, but Roblox could sustain double-digit revenue growth for several years. 10 stocks we like better than Roblox › Roblox (NYSE: RBLX) is one of the surprise breakout stocks of 2025. This top gaming stock has nearly doubled since the beginning of April and recently was sitting close to a 52-week high. The company has posted more than 20% quarterly revenue growth on a year-over-year basis for seven consecutive quarters. It seems well positioned to keep the momentum going based on the popularity of a new game, Grow a Garden, that is trending on the platform right now. Roblox is the best video game stock to hold for the long term. While its run this year has lifted the valuation to expensive-looking multiples of sales and free cash flow, the company's growth prospects make the stock a compelling buy. Roblox has been growing revenue much faster than the big video game companies like Nintendo, Electronic Arts, and Take-Two Interactive. Roblox also has a much different business model than these companies, which explains why it's growing faster. What makes Roblox such a powerful platform for growth is its user-created content strategy. This is a lower-risk strategy than that of big game publishers like Take-Two, which take on the risk of spending millions of dollars to make a game. Roblox pays earnings (developer exchange fees) to the creators with the most engaging content. This makes up around a quarter of the company's revenue. This isn't an expense as much as an investment in content production, similar to how Netflix spends billions on content every year and attracts a large audience. Over the last four quarters, Roblox spent $1 billion in developer exchange fees while generating $3.8 billion in revenue. More content attracts more users. Roblox's daily active users grew 26% year over year to 97.8 million in the first quarter. What's interesting is that the platform is starting to attract older kids. In the first quarter, 62% of daily active users were older than 13, and this percentage has been trending higher in recent years. This broadens Roblox's addressable market and increases its growth opportunity. The success of Grow a Garden, which currently has more than 2 million players spending time with the game every day, shows why Roblox could be a compelling growth stock to hold for the long term. Its large pool of content creators can release an engaging new experience like this at any time that attracts more players and drives upside to revenue. Management is targeting more than 20% compound annual growth in revenue through at least 2027. It believes it can capture 10% of the $180 billion annually spent on video games over the long term. One trend supporting favorable long-term prospects is the video game industry's historical growth with technological advancement. For example, Roblox could benefit from innovation in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and continued improvement in graphics technology. The biggest risk for the stock in 2025 is its high valuation. The stock currently trades at a high price-to-sales ratio of 17.5. Even taking into account its growing free cash flow, the stock trades at a valuation of 76 times trailing free cash flow. At these high multiples, investors should be prepared for a pullback, especially after hitting a milestone $100 share price, which could serve as an excuse for traders on Wall Street to take profits. Any dip in the share price in the near term is a buying opportunity for long-term investors. Roblox still has other growth catalysts on the horizon, such as digital ads. It just announced a partnership with Alphabet's Google Ads to launch video ad formats on the platform, which bolsters Roblox's opportunity in the $700 billion digital ad market. Roblox brings together two powerful growth drivers on a single platform -- growing demand for interactive entertainment and social media. Many players like Roblox because they get to socially connect with others while engaging in fun experiences. This dynamic could carry the company a long way. Before you buy stock in Roblox, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Roblox wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Netflix, Roblox, and Take-Two Interactive Software. The Motley Fool recommends Electronic Arts and Nintendo. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Roblox Stock After Its Surge to $100? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Zawya
17-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
'GTA VI' delay weighs on global videogame market growth, data shows
The global videogame market's growth rate is expected to improve marginally in 2025 from the previous year, according to a report from research firm Newzoo, seen exclusively by Reuters on Tuesday. Analysts and industry experts had projected a surge in industry growth this year due to the expected blockbuster launch of Take-Two's "Grand Theft Auto VI" and new consoles. However, the delay of the long-awaited title to next year and price hikes to videogame hardware, arising from tariffs, have made consumer spending uncertain. The global videogame market is projected to grow 3.4% to $188.9 billion in 2025, compared with last year's growth of 3.2%, according to the report. "This forecast reflects concrete changes, hardware cycles, pricing trends, install base growth, and title pipelines," said Michiel Buijsman, principle analyst at Newzoo. Compounded annually, Newzoo expects the market to grow 3.3% till 2027, compared with its earlier forecast of 3.7%. As "GTA VI" is scheduled to launch in 2026, the industry will most likely see the boost from sales next year along with the release of other premium titles such as Capcom's "Resident Evil Requiem." The launch of "GTA VI" on PC is also expected to carry growth through 2027, the report said. Price increases to Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation devices have sparked fears of slower hardware sales as consumers globally grapple with market uncertainty, even as Nintendo's Switch 2 became the company's fastest-selling console. Xbox also unveiled its own handheld console, the Xbox Ally, earlier this month, developed in partnership with ASUS and set to launch in holidays 2025. (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
CNA
17-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
'GTA VI' delay weighs on global videogame market growth, data shows
The global videogame market's growth rate is expected to improve marginally in 2025 from the previous year, according to a report from research firm Newzoo, seen exclusively by Reuters on Tuesday. Analysts and industry experts had projected a surge in industry growth this year due to the expected blockbuster launch of Take-Two's "Grand Theft Auto VI" and new consoles. However, the delay of the long-awaited title to next year and price hikes to videogame hardware, arising from tariffs, have made consumer spending uncertain. The global videogame market is projected to grow 3.4 per cent to $188.9 billion in 2025, compared with last year's growth of 3.2 per cent, according to the report. "This forecast reflects concrete changes, hardware cycles, pricing trends, install base growth, and title pipelines," said Michiel Buijsman, principle analyst at Newzoo. Compounded annually, Newzoo expects the market to grow 3.3 per cent till 2027, compared with its earlier forecast of 3.7 per cent. As "GTA VI" is scheduled to launch in 2026, the industry will most likely see the boost from sales next year along with the release of other premium titles such as Capcom's "Resident Evil Requiem." The launch of "GTA VI" on PC is also expected to carry growth through 2027, the report said. Price increases to Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation devices have sparked fears of slower hardware sales as consumers globally grapple with market uncertainty, even as Nintendo's Switch 2 became the company's fastest-selling console. Xbox also unveiled its own handheld console, the Xbox Ally, earlier this month, developed in partnership with ASUS and set to launch in holidays 2025.
Reuters
17-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
'GTA VI' delay weighs on global videogame market growth, data shows
June 17 (Reuters) - The global videogame market's growth rate is expected to improve marginally in 2025 from the previous year, according to a report from research firm Newzoo, seen exclusively by Reuters on Tuesday. Analysts and industry experts had projected a surge in industry growth this year due to the expected blockbuster launch of Take-Two's (TTWO.O), opens new tab "Grand Theft Auto VI" and new consoles. However, the delay of the long-awaited title to next year and price hikes to videogame hardware, arising from tariffs, have made consumer spending uncertain. The global videogame market is projected to grow 3.4% to $188.9 billion in 2025, compared with last year's growth of 3.2%, according to the report. "This forecast reflects concrete changes, hardware cycles, pricing trends, install base growth, and title pipelines," said Michiel Buijsman, principle analyst at Newzoo. Compounded annually, Newzoo expects the market to grow 3.3% till 2027, compared with its earlier forecast of 3.7%. As "GTA VI" is scheduled to launch in 2026, the industry will most likely see the boost from sales next year along with the release of other premium titles such as Capcom's (9697.T), opens new tab "Resident Evil Requiem." The launch of "GTA VI" on PC is also expected to carry growth through 2027, the report said. Price increases to Microsoft's (MSFT.O), opens new tab Xbox and Sony's (6758.T), opens new tab PlayStation devices have sparked fears of slower hardware sales as consumers globally grapple with market uncertainty, even as Nintendo's (7974.T), opens new tab Switch 2 became the company's fastest-selling console. Xbox also unveiled its own handheld console, the Xbox Ally, earlier this month, developed in partnership with ASUS ( opens new tab and set to launch in holidays 2025.
