The year 2024 got off to a bad start for many video game publishers and studios, who in turn announced layoffs, continuing a trend that hit the industry last year. Next on this list is none other than Take-Two Interactivethe publisher notably behind the Grand Theft Auto and her goose that lays golden eggs GTA Onlinewhose market valuation is currently $24.83 billion and last year doubled the annual salary of these five most important executivesof which THE CEO Strauss Zelnickor some 42.1 million dollars as far as he is concerned… Ironically, this last said in Februaryor barely two months ago, there were no plans to fire staff. From, Take Two announced the acquisition of Gearbox Entertainment for nearly $460 million. It is therefore quite a turnaround in the situation which informs us Bloombergeven if in absolute terms this is unfortunately no longer surprising.
Take-Two Interactive will therefore lay off 5% of its workforce, or around 600 of its more than 11,580 employees around the world with the latest news, as part of cost reduction measures. This would represent nearly $35 million in savings. As always, it is not those at the helm who are going to lower their staggering salaries to save money. We can assume that certain redundant positions following the repurchase of Gearbox will be part of the lot.
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But that's not all, because several unnamed video game projects will therefore be canceled because of this decision, which in turn represent up to $140 million in savings. As the article mentions, the same general executive has an aversion to taking risks, especially when it can cost hundreds of millions over the years. Take-Two Interactive being at the head of 2K, Rockstar Games, Private Division, Zynga and so now Gearbox Entertainmentdifficult to know what is behind these cancellations.
Bloomberg contacted a representative of Take Two, who declined any comment on the matter. With the arrival next year of Grand Theft Auto VIit goes without saying that the publisher's coffers will continue to fill if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessor.
Waiting for, GTA V is still one of the best sellers on Amazon, currently sold for €19.99 in its PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions.
 Alexandre SAMSON (Omega Law)Editor | ||
| Addicted to Assassin's Creed and Destiny, big fan of RPGs and passionate about video game experiences in general. Reader of comics (DC) and various mangas (One Piece!). Chemist by training and Whovian at heart. | ||
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