In a recent interview, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc's
With the anticipation for GTA 6 at an all-time high, Zelnick addressed the potential benefits and challenges of AI in the video game industry.
Zelnick expressed optimism about AI technology, highlighting its potential to improve non-player characters (NPCs) in video games.
He suggested that generative AI could add variety to dialogue trees and make interactions with NPCs more engaging. Currently, these interactions are often scripted and NPCs lack depth and interest.
"Everyone's working on that. You're a playable character, you're interacting with the non-playable character. That interaction is currently scripted. And the non-playable characters are generally not very interesting," Zelnick told Inverse.
"You could imagine all the NPCs becoming really interesting and fun."
While Zelnick discussed the potential of AI in gaming, he did not confirm whether GTA 6 would incorporate generative AI in any way, maintaining secrecy about the open-world sequel's development.
Despite the immense success of GTA 5, which has sold over 185 million copies, Zelnick stressed that Take-Two remains vigilant and competitive in the industry.
He said: "We're terrified at all times, or we're not doing enough. There's no one who says, 'This is a perfect product, we're really proud of it. Let's take a deep breath, go to the beach.' We have to wake up and do it again, the next step."
Industry experts support Zelnick's cautious approach to managing expectations for highly anticipated releases like GTA 6, noting the considerable risk involved. Zelnick's tendency to underpromise and overdeliver has historically served the company well.
In addition to AI and GTA 6, Zelnick discussed other industry-related topics, including the impact of layoffs and Take-Two's reluctance to adapt its franchises into movies and TV shows. Zelnick cited the risk involved in such adaptations, which could potentially harm existing game franchises.
While Take-Two is hesitant to enter the realm of video game adaptations, it recognizes the importance of the rapidly growing mobile gaming sector.
Zelnick acknowledged the missed opportunity in the early days of mobile gaming, leading to the company's $12.7 billion acquisition of Zynga. Despite the challenging start to the mobile gaming venture, Take-Two is determined not to "miss the next big thing."
