News business For Take-Two (GTA 5), COVID-19 will benefit video games in the long run
This year, the video game industry has continued to break records: financial records are skyrocketing, game sales are skyrocketing, and microtransactions are growing in popularity. The cause of all of this? COVID-19! The current pandemic, and the many bans in particular, have attracted a large number of new players, and for the Take-Two CEO, these new players will remain players even after the health crisis ends.
COVID-19 is a scourge, it is impossible to deny it, however, we must admit that it has taken the world of video games to new levels. Now the industry is doing well and making more and more profits. Obviously, the greats of the world of video games noticed, and Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, spoke in the microphone of on the subject GamesIndustry.biz. Indeed, For Strauss Zelnick, the world of video games will remain in the same productive dynamic after the end of the pandemic.
Interactive entertainment is number one in sales entertainment now, and I think people don’t fully understand it just yet. Much of this growth was driven by the people who discovered or rediscovered interactive entertainment and its social aspects during the pandemic. We found that while some trends are likely to subside, this change is permanent. Strauss Zelnick, PDG de Take-Two
For Strauss Zelnick, this is particularly the community aspect of multiplayer experiences like GTA Online and NBA 2K21 for Take-Two or even Among Us and Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Competition, or the exchange of experiences in the networks, which will keep the players in the long term.
When people discover and rediscover interactive entertainment, they find that we – and our competition – are delivering amazing graphics, great stories, great characters, and great gameplay. And while you play, you can hang out with your friends around the world at the same time. You can make new friends and be part of new or existing communities. You can share experiences and talk to everyone. Strauss Zelnick
He later adds that gamers value “shared entertainment experiences.” He states that for this reason we often go to the movies in groups or sit down with the family in front of the television.
We’re not looking for a solitary experience, and interactive entertainment is the definition of a shared experience, especially with the technology we enable today. Strauss Zelnick
Of course, Strauss Zelnick is not the only one in the industry to believe this. In recent years, key players in the market have pushed the user-friendly aspect of their productions, for example by providing more free suggestions. The Call of Duty saga came up with the Battle Royale Warzone, an experience open to all. Ubisoft just announced the free version of The Division: Heartland, and Take-Two recently offered NBA 2K21 players and Grand Theft Auto V for the Epic on the Games Store or offered Red Dead Online on Xbox Game Pass. Also note that GTA Online will be free on PlayStation 5 for a limited time at the end of the year.
Obviously Activision has had great success with Call of Duty: Mobile, and we admire that. We haven’t taken any of our licenses to bring them to cellphone yet. I’m not saying we won’t, I’m just saying we haven’t done it yet. Strauss Zelnick
He later states that he expects one of these licenses to make the leap into cell phones in the future. At this time, the Take-Two CEO has no announcement on the matter, but he says he will say more in due course.
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By Jerome Joffard, Writing from igamesnews.com
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