With the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 just around the corner, the excitement is palpable, especially for third-party publishers like Take-Two Interactive. Amidst the buzz about pricing, tariffs, and game key cards, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed a strong sense of optimism during a Q&A with investors following the company's full-year earnings report. Zelnick highlighted the improved relationship with Nintendo, noting a more collaborative approach from the gaming giant towards third-party developers this time around.
Zelnick shared that Take-Two is set to launch four titles on the Nintendo Switch 2, marking a significant increase in their support compared to previous Nintendo platforms. He stated, "We're launching four titles with Nintendo Switch 2, and that's I think a bigger array of releases than we've ever offered before with a new Nintendo platform. Historically, being a third party in the Nintendo business has been a bit challenging. I think Nintendo has been very forthcoming in addressing that. And we're stepping up too, because we have great optimism for the platform. In terms of what we would bring to any platform, we address it on a case-by-case basis, we obviously want to be where the consumers are. But we would not necessarily bring every title to every platform. There are also great catalog opportunities as well."
The titles set to grace the Nintendo Switch 2 from Take-Two include Civilization 7 on the console's launch day, June 5, followed by entries from the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series (specific games and release dates are yet to be announced), and Borderlands 4 on September 12. While these choices are not unexpected, given Take-Two's history with the original Nintendo Switch, Zelnick's comments suggest potential future releases from their extensive catalog. Although GTA 6 seems unlikely to appear on the platform, there's a possibility that GTA V could make its way to the Nintendo Switch 2 in the future.
Ahead of the investor call, we had the opportunity to speak with Zelnick about the company's performance over the quarter. The conversation also touched on the development timeline of GTA 6 and Zelnick's perspective on its recent delay to next year.
