Take-Two CEO Explains Why GTA 6 Isn’t Coming to PC on Day One

Grand Theft Auto 6 won’t be coming to PC when the game releases on November 19th, and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has a reason.

Rockstar Games is known for doing things its way, sometimes to the frustration of players. There can be months or even years without news on upcoming Rockstar titles. Grand Theft Auto VI was announced in December 2023, and then Rockstar went silent until May 2025, when it delayed the game from Fall 2025 to May 2026. Rockstar broke its silence again in November 2025 to confirm the game would now be launching November 19th, 2026.

We’re in the endgame now, so long as there isn’t another surprise delay. Take-Two confirmed earlier this year that Rockstar Games would begin marketing GTA 6 this summer but didn’t offer any more specifics. It seems like we are truly, finally just six months away from launch… at least on consoles.

When speaking with Bloomberg, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked why GTA 6 will be skipping PC this November. Zelnick says that’s the way Rockstar has always done it and that’s where the core audience is.

“Rockstar always starts on console because I think with regard to a release like that you’re judged by serving the core,” Zelnick said. “Like really serving the core consumer. If your core consumer isn’t there, if they’re not served first and best, you kind of don’t hit your other consumers.”

Zelnick is correct in that this has always been how it has been for Rockstar. Grand Theft Auto 6, Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto V, LA Noire, Max Payne 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2 all came to PC much later than consoles. Some of those were a matter of months, others were a matter of years. Grand Theft Auto V came to PC a year and a half after its initial release and about six months after the Xbox One/PS4 re-release.

Although Zelnick didn’t explicitly say GTA 6 is coming to PC, it does feel like the implication here is that it will come later. Some have speculated that Rockstar likes to “double dip” on its audiences, with impatient fans buying the game on consoles and then getting a second copy on PC later. Rockstar does sometimes like to take extra time with the PC versions to polish them up. Red Dead Redemption 2 had enhanced visuals on PC, allowing players to really feel the difference between the two versions of the game.

In 2026, however, PC gaming is far more prevelant. As a result, the lack of a PC version at launch feels all the more notable. GTA 5 benefited greatly from its PC version with modding giving the game a major boost in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Zelnick even noted last year that gamers are moving toward PC more and more these days. It would make since for Rockstar to lean into that with GTA 6, but we will seemingly have to wait a bit to see it on PC.

Zelnick also recently addressed concerns over GTA 6’s price. While he didn’t confirm a price point, Zelnick downplayed speculation that the game would cost significantly more than the average video game release.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.