The Western epic “Red Dead Redemption 2” will have an online component, but that is not what is crucial for Take-Two’s CEO, Straus Zelnick. What matters is that it becomes a super game. The entry must also convince.
What Take-Two is about: In an interview with “GamesDaily.biz”, the head of Take-Two discusses the upcoming game “Red Dead Redemption 2.” It will be released on October 26. Zelnick strongly defends against being accused of making strategic decisions, claiming that Red Dead Redemption 2 is being turned into a multiplayer game just to make more money.
If you build a great game, they will come and pay for it
GTA V as a model? Take-Two has developed a wildly successful games-as-a-service game with “Grand Theft Auto Online,” which continues to make a lot of money years after its release. It makes sense to transfer this GTA model to the next game for profit reasons. But according to Zelnick, this is not what it’s about for Take-Two.
“Our interest is not in games-as-a-service, or singleplayer, or multiplayer, or episodic. Our interest is to grab our audience and provide them with the best entertainment anyone can offer. And if we do that and continuously give consumers more great stuff to engage with, then it will work out, and revenue will follow, and profits will come.”
Players need to be excited right from the start of Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 and Online: For Red Dead Redemption 2, Take-Two also aims to keep players engaged after the actual launch. But the initial experience has to be fantastic, says Zelnick. Otherwise, players won’t want to continue. Zelnick confirms that Red Dead Online is coming. Rockstar has already announced this. Thus, it seems clear that Take-Two is planning a games-as-a-service approach for RDR 2.
How will RDR 2 be monetized? Zelnick did not want to discuss monetization yet, because that is not the most important thing.
No one wants a Fortnite clone
Model Fortnite? Zelnick rejected the idea of orienting towards Fortnite. If you transform a release into a watered-down version of Fortnite, it would fail and be embarrassing for the brand. No one is looking for a Fortnite clone. If a battle royale mode is introduced in a Take-Two game, it should only be if it focuses on the customers and serves the core gaming experience.
Grand Theft Auto V is not a money printing machine: Regarding the ongoing success of “Grand Theft Auto Online”, Zelnick says, they did not create a “money printing machine,” but the best game anyone has ever seen. Consequently, customers are happy to pay for the game, and they keep paying.
What does it all mean? Like many studios, Take-Two is also working to turn “singleplayer franchises” into long-term “multiplayer games” for the new generation. This transition needs to be explained and made appealing to their “old” fans. However, it should not cause any friction. They want to offer singleplayer fans what they expect – and add the multiplayer mode on top as a cherry on the cake. Zelnick passionately assures this here, and this seems to be what he means by the “great entry experience” he speaks of for Red Dead Redemption 2: a strong solo campaign.
