With inflation on the rise and recent US jobs reports coming in lower than some economists predicted, there are fears of an economic slowdown. Some believe people may spend more conservatively on all range of products, including entertainment like games, which could negatively impact the video game industry overall.

Now, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has commented on this economic backdrop, saying the US economy is neither booming nor busting, going on to predict that consumers will be more choosy when it comes to the games they buy. Zelnick said Take-Two is well-positioned here because, in his belief, the company makes must-have games.

“It is true that people still consume entertainment even in tough times. They’re just gonna be much more selective. So where are they gonna go? They’re gonna go with quality,” he said during Take-Two’s latest earnings call. “And that’s a trend that’s already been occurring in our business because our business is maturing.”

“Now we actually have an incredibly robust pipeline going forward. And one that we believe is identified by the hallmark of great quality. If we’re right about that, then even in more challenging macro times, our microbehavior should be industry-leading,” Zelnick added.

GTA 6 is one of Take-Two’s big upcoming games, and it’s predicted to be a massive success. There is so much demand for and interest in GTA 6 that it will succeed whenever it’s released, Take-Two believes.

Outside of Take-Two, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said gaming is a “fundamental human need” and that people will continue to spend money on the things they want the most despite economic challenges.

GTA 6 launches on May 26, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a PC release expected to come sometime later.