Take-Two Boss Says It's 'Shown a Willingness to Support Legacy Titles' Amid Questions About the Future of GTA Online Post-GTA 6

The impending release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) has left many Grand Theft Auto Online (GTA Online) players wondering about the future of their beloved live service. With GTA 6's anticipated fall 2025 release, questions abound regarding the fate of their investments—time, effort, and money—in the current GTA Online. Will a new GTA Online effectively render the original obsolete?

GTA Online's remarkable longevity and profitability have significantly shaped Rockstar's decisions, prioritizing live service updates over story DLC for Grand Theft Auto V, a choice that has drawn both praise and criticism. The concern now is whether this success will translate into a smooth transition for players when GTA 6 arrives, potentially with a revamped GTA Online (perhaps even a GTA Online 2). The fear is a complete severing of the current game, leaving years of progress behind.

Why invest further in the current GTA Online in early 2025 when a new iteration might launch in just a few months? This crucial question was posed to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. His response offers intriguing insights.

While Zelnick avoided specifics about a new GTA Online due to its unannounced status, he drew a parallel to the NBA 2K Online franchise. NBA 2K Online, launched in 2012, was followed by NBA 2K Online 2 in 2017. Crucially, both versions were maintained concurrently, ensuring continued support for existing players.

Zelnick stated, “Generally speaking, we support our properties when the consumers are involved with those titles. As an example, we launched NBA 2K Online…and then we launched NBA 2K Online 2…We did not sunset Online 1. They both are still in the market…So we've shown a willingness to support legacy titles when a community wants to be engaged with them.”

This suggests that a potential GTA Online 2 wouldn't necessarily replace the original. Continued player engagement, according to Zelnick, would warrant ongoing support for the current GTA Online.

It's important to note that much about GTA 6 remains unknown beyond the initial trailer and release window. However, with a fall 2025 release looming, Rockstar will need to provide more information soon. Until then, the future of GTA Online remains a topic of much speculation.