Matt Martin
14:01 (BST)
22/07/2008
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Zelnick: We can be profitable in non-GTA years
Take-Two can be a profitable publishing business in year's where there are no new Grand Theft Auto games, according to chairman Strauss Zelnick.
One of the criticisms regularly levelled at the publisher is that it relies too heavily on the Rockstar brand, but speaking in an interview with Venture Beat, Zelnick said that he believes that company no longer needs to rely on the Grand Theft Auto series to turn in a profit.
"I know that is one of the impressions that's been levelled at the company. The reason it's been an issue is because of the company's economic volatility," he said.
"In a release year for a GTA game, the company would make money. In a non-release year, it wouldn't. One thing we said to investors is that we do't expect to drive all of the volatility out of an entertainment company. But we do think it is our obligation to deliver a profitable enterprise year in and year out."
The chairman said that recent success with titles such as BioShock and Carnival Games, and new and recently released titles Civilization and Midnight Club LA are helping the publisher hit sales in the millions.
"I feel very good that we can deliver on that goal of a profitable enterprise even in non-GTA years.
"Look at our array of hits and owned intellectual property. We have 30 million-plus selling titles, 15 of which are fully owned," he said.
"It's just not true that we are only about GTA."
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