Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has described the pressure surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI as “terrifying” ahead of what is set to be one of the biggest entertainment launches in history.

Speaking at the Interactive Innovation Conference in Las Vegas, Zelnick said Rockstar’s goal is to deliver an experience “never been experienced before”.

Set for release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, GTA VI has been in development for more than eight years, involving thousands of developers and reportedly commanding one of the largest budgets in gaming history.

Expectations are sky-high. Analysts believe the game could sell tens of millions of copies within days, with anything less than record-breaking performance likely to disappoint investors. Its predecessor, GTA V, has sold more than 225 million units, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.

“We never claim success before it occurs,” Zelnick (pictured) said, adding that Take-Two is investing heavily in creative talent and resources to deliver what it hopes will be a defining entertainment product.

The CEO also confirmed Rockstar will again prioritise consoles at launch, with a PC version expected later – a strategy aimed at serving the franchise’s “core” audience first.

The comments build on Zelnick’s earlier remarks, reported by ChannelNews last week, where he aimed to ease concerns over pricing, claiming the game would be positioned as “fair value” rather than a super-premium release.

Despite the confidence, the pressure is clear. As Zelnick put it: “Being close to the front of the sidelines is very exciting, and terrifying, because the expectations are so high.”