"Red Dead Redemption 2," a highly anticipated western action adventure video game from the makers of "Grand Theft Auto," is expected to chart well when it launches in the spring of 2018. However, Take Two's chief executive officer (CEO) Strauss Zelnick does not believe it can replicate the massive success of "Grand Theft Auto V."
Zelnick recently spoke with Gameindustry.biz about the company's vision for the future, including his expectations for the upcoming installment in the "Red Dead" franchise.
When asked if the company is expecting sales figures to be like that of "Grand Theft Auto V," the CEO explained how he views the success of the franchise. He said that in his opinion, the reason why "Grand Theft Auto V' was very successful was because it stands alone in this generation.
"In every prior generation, there have been other titles that have clustered around GTA from a quality point-of-view," Zelnick said, adding, "That's clearly not the case now. If you are over 17 and you have a new generation console, you have GTA."
He also commented on expectations for the new "Red Dead" game. "Do we have incredibly high hopes for Red Dead? We do. But we are not putting it in the context of GTA," he said.
Since it first launched in 2013, "Grand Theft Auto V" has sold more than 80 million copies across all platforms. Its online multiplayer mode, "Grand Theft Auto Online," has had another record year three and a half years after its release.
The upcoming release of "Red Dead Redemption 2," initially announced to be scheduled in the second half of this year, has been moved the second quarter of 2018. In its website, publisher Rockstar games stated that "some extra time is necessary to ensure that we can deliver the best experience possible for our fans."
"Red Dead Redemption 2" is the third title in the "Red Dead" game franchise. It is an open world, western action video game set across the vast American heartland.
