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GTA Remasters? Take-Two CEO Says That's A Great Question

Strauss Zelnick likes the question and says it's an "encouraging" thought.

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Given the immense and ongoing success of Grand Theft Auto V--it's sold 140 million copies--some are wondering if Rockstar Games will turn its attention back in time with a remaster or re-release of the studio's earlier GTA games. It remains to be seen if that will happen, but the head of Rockstar's parent company is counted among those who like that question and the possibilities it brings up.

During an earnings call on Monday, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked if the company sees an opportunity to remaster prior GTA games to cash in on the huge appeal of the franchise. The question specifically pointed out that the GTA V audience might not have played earlier games in the series, so remastering older entries could be a way to appeal to them and sell more units.

In his trademark fashion, Zelnick said official announcements about future Rockstar products will come from the developer itself. But he did say he likes the question and he find it "encouraging," which is an intriguing response.

"It's a great and encouraging question. I'm kind of inclined to leave it more as a statement than a question," Zelnick said. "And any updates on our release schedule will come from Rockstar Games."

GTA V has now sold 140 million copies, and it just keeps growing. 2020 was the game's best year for sales since 2013, the year it originally launched on PS3 and Xbox 360. The game, and it's GTA Online mode, are poised for another breakout year in 2021 with the launch of GTA Online's standalone edition as well as bespoke editions of GTA V for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X that take advantage of the power of those consoles.

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dlM0kn

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If they release IV to work on today's pc with the multiplayer put back in, that's an instant buy for me. I would love to have good deathmatches again. V's pvp is barely alive.

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Atzenkiller

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Edited By Atzenkiller

Yeah, of course that guy always likes to cash in some more. Why even mention it? But who's supposed to work on those remasters when Rockstar is busy working on their online games and the next GTA, which will also add a new online mode that will then become their priority. While GTA Online might even stil get some support.

If they couldn't be bothered to release some dlc or provide any support for the sp part of their games so far, then why should they care about some remasters that they can't even attach an online mode to?

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SabreDJ

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As someone who worked in communications for a huge conglomerate at one time, I can say that, that's as close to a confirmation of something that is going to happen, without actually confirming it verbatim.

I don't think it's trolling by Zelnick either, because that would not be appropriate on an investor call. I'm sure we'll get something from Rockstar sooner than later, given this response.

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SkyHighGam3r

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The DVD-era GTA games would need some serious work. Particularly the gunplay. Trying to play GTA3 now is an exercise in frustration when you have to shoot anything.

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Atzenkiller

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@skyhighgam3r: But it's really only the gun combat due to fps controls not being a thing back then in most games. In any other regard RDR2, their latest game, plays just like or even worse than a PS2 era GTA game. In the old GTA games at least you could jog by moving the analog stick without pushing any buttons. In RDR2 you can only walk slowly. Such a modern game and yet it uses digital controls with only 2 or 3 fixed movement speeds available at any time. Yeah, the old GTA games really don't look that bad in comparison.

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SkyHighGam3r

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@Atzenkiller: FPS controls really doesn't have anything to do with it. There were tons and tons of good TPS lock-on methods at the time. Even the very small changes they made to Vice City, and subsequently San Andreas, as far as lock-on goes were massive steps up from GTA III.

This of course though is referring to the original PS2 version. PC had a great dual-stick setup, and I believe XBOX had a similar control scheme as an option for III and Vice City when it released. Those XBOX versions have never been re-released though.

If all they did was give all 3 games the lock-on from San Andreas, I'd be sold in that department.

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PrpleTrtleBuBum

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please no just make new gtas. if gta vi is too massive and will take 10 years plus 500 millions to develop then just create something like vice city stories or london. new smaller city or atleast new story

zelnicks answer is hilarious boss bs though and i dont how you can take it as any sort of "intriguing" comment. yes thats an excellent question im sure we can think about it, next topic.

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SkyHighGam3r

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@PrpleTrtleBuBum: It's not like they are going to shelf GTA6 to do a project like this, it will be some B team updating assets.

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Atzenkiller

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@skyhighgam3r: You mean the B team that could have released dlcs for their latest games yet hasn't so far? DLCs are a lot more profitable than new games, so if they can't even be bothered to do that, then a remaster of any old games is not going to happen. There's simply no point for them anymore unless they can tie a large mp mode to it to sell MTs.

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SkyHighGam3r

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@Atzenkiller: DLC for multiplayer is what is more profitable. Campaign DLC is definitely 'not' more profitable than new games.

"There's simply no point for them anymore unless they can tie a large mp mode to it to sell MTs." You realize that statement is exactly what this article is talking about... right?

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Atzenkiller

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@skyhighgam3r: What mp dlc? DLC is so profitable because you can charge something like $20 for a small piece of content that will last you a few hours, when the full game already might have been over 100 hours long yet only cost $60. And because the whole game is already developed at this point, so producing a bit more content for it and selling it at such a price is where you really can rake in the money. It's why everyone is releasing dlc for their games nowadays and has been for a long time.

While mp dlc is actually disappearing or already has mostly at this point. Everyone used to sell map packs and other crap as dlc but now many games deliver it all for free because not doing so only splits up the playerbase. And because MTs are a lot more profitable than even dlc, so no point in bothering with it. Unless you were considering cosmetic items and crap like that as dlc.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@PrpleTrtleBuBum: Honestly, I find these kinds of PR responses more annoying than no response at all.

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SParent180

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It would depend on how much work they put into the remasters. GTA 3, VC, and SA would need a lot of work and would be better of being remade.

GTA IV on the other hand would be easier to get on par with GTA V and could possible work as an expansion to GTA Online.

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