Take-Two CEO: If You're Not a Netflix Subscriber
Strauss Zelnick defends the exclusive premiere of GTA 6's first real gameplay look on Netflix and hints at massive interest.
Strauss Zelnick defends the exclusive premiere of GTA 6's first real gameplay look on Netflix and hints at massive interest.
The first real look at the gameplay of the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI, titled 'Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look', will be exclusively available to Netflix subscribers a full six hours before it hits YouTube. This unprecedented marketing move has sparked heated reactions among some players who feel Rockstar is effectively putting the trailer behind a paywall. Strauss Zelnick, head of Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive, defends the decision in an interview with IGN, insisting that everyone will watch it anyway.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026. On Netflix, 'An Extended Look' will be available starting at 12 PM Pacific Time, 3 PM Eastern Time, which is 8 PM British Time. On Rockstar's YouTube channel and other platforms, the extended look will be released six hours later, at 6 PM Pacific Time (9 PM Eastern), or 2 AM on August 28 in the UK.
Zelnick explained the reasoning behind the decision to IGN. "I think Rockstar felt that Netflix releasing it would be a great way to showcase the extended trailer," he said. "Six hours later, it will be available on Rockstar's YouTube channel and, I believe, on many other platforms. And I think this is an example of Rockstar trying new things in marketing the title, and I hope there will be much more of that."
It's still unclear what exactly 'Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look' contains. Whether it's a standard gameplay trailer, a mini-documentary about GTA 6, something akin to a Netflix show, or something entirely different, Zelnick declined to reveal. He also refused to share the expected duration of the look. However, he suggested it would be something much bigger than a typical gameplay reveal video, offering a deeper insight into Rockstar's long-awaited blockbuster, more than a year after the release of the second GTA 6 trailer.
When asked by IGN if he could set expectations and whether it's worth subscribing to Netflix for this event, Zelnick remained reserved but clear in his recommendation. "Well, as you can imagine, I'll only say great things about Netflix," he stated. "If you're not a Netflix subscriber, you definitely should be. And as for the trailer itself, it's coming soon enough that I'll let you draw your own conclusions. I'm sure you'll watch it, because everyone will."
Netflix boasts hundreds of millions of subscribers worldwide, opening the door for Rockstar to a massive audience that may not even know GTA 6 is coming. This exposure on one of the largest streaming platforms presents an incredibly attractive marketing opportunity, regardless of the terms of the deal between Rockstar and Netflix. There's also an expectation that 'An Extended Look' on Netflix will feel natural, perhaps like a special episode of a show, and immediately top the 'Trending Now' list.
The question also remains whether Netflix's servers will withstand the surge when the whole world tunes in on August 27 for the big GTA 6 reveal. In the same interview with IGN, Zelnick also commented on other GTA 6-related topics, including the game's price, the absence of a physical disc release, and his prediction about the future of game streaming.
