It’s a dismal time to be in video game development, as companies continue to announce layoffs. Now, Take-Two Interactive – the parent company of Rockstar – is looking to enact a “significant cost reduction plan,” but it doesn’t necessarily mean redundancies.
That’s according to CEO and chairman Strauss Zelnick, who told IGN recently that there are “no current plans” to lay staff off. The specifics of this plan are said to still being worked out, but Zelnick says there are other areas that need looking at, such as marketing, third-party expenses, supply services, etc.
He also adds that the “hardest thing to do is to lay off colleagues,” though that phrasing sort of suggests one would do it if it was easier. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.
I’m a cynic, what can I say?
It’s difficult to talk about Take-Two without mentioning GTA 6. Last year’s reveal trailer has been viewed a squillion times, making it one of the most-viewed video game teasers in existence. If the parent company does eventually decide it needs to initiate layoffs, there’s no telling whether this would potentially affect the next Grand Theft Auto game.
Again, this is just a complete guess from me. While there aren’t any “current” plans for layoffs, that doesn’t necessarily mean things won’t change in the future, near or far.
Just recently, Take-Two was also in the headlines, facing a class-action lawsuit regarding microtransactions in NBA games. Hard to find two topics that get people more riled up than layoffs and microtransactions.
