Take-Two Head Scoffs at Idea of Three People Creating GTA with AI, Hints at MindsEye Failure
Strauss Zelnick is confident that technology alone does not make games successful.
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed skepticism about the grand promises surrounding artificial intelligence. During a call with investors, one participant recalled a company claiming that AI would allow a three-person team to create a GTA-like game in a week, and asked the Take-Two head to comment on such statements.
“It gets harder and harder to make hits as the entertainment business matures. We don’t have a monopoly on making hits... But arrogance is the enemy of long-term success. I don’t believe for a second that technological advances give anyone an advantage over us. AI is just a toolkit available to absolutely everyone. Show me one AI company that offers its services exclusively? There are none. And when a hypothetical competitor gets their coveted 'neuro-button,' I’ll have the exact same one.”
The most biting moment of the speech was a hint at former Rockstar employees who tried to replicate GTA's success outside the studio. Zelnick reminded that the Rockstar team consistently releases colossal hits, but numerous attempts to follow this path have so far led to nothing.
“Many, many other people have tried to replicate it – including former Rockstar employees. And you know what? So far, none of them have succeeded.”
Zelnick did not name specific individuals, but the gaming community has already seen his words as a hint at Leslie Benzies. The former president of Rockstar North and one of the key producers of the Grand Theft Auto series, after leaving the company, founded the studio Build A Rocket Boy. Its debut project, MindsEye, was supposed to be the beginning of a large-scale gaming universe, but after its release, it faced scathing reviews from critics and players, as well as a series of scandals surrounding the studio.
The full recording of the conversation with investors can be found at the following link.
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