Take-Two CEO Optimistic About Nintendo Switch 2

With the Nintendo Switch 2 launch just around the corner, amidst the buzz about pricing, tariffs, and game key cards, one third-party publisher is expressing a notably positive outlook on the new console: Take-Two Interactive. In a recent Q&A session with investors following the company's full-year earnings report, CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his "great optimism" regarding Nintendo's upcoming platform. He highlighted that Nintendo's approach to third-party publishers has significantly improved compared to previous efforts.

Zelnick announced that Take-Two is set to launch four titles on the Nintendo Switch 2, marking a more extensive lineup than ever before on a new Nintendo console. 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 slated for release include Civilization 7 on launch day, June 5, along with entries from the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series (though specific games and release dates remain unclear), and Borderlands 4 on September 12. These choices are not surprising, as Take-Two has previously published these franchises on the original Nintendo Switch. However, Zelnick's comments suggest a potential openness to further releases, particularly from Take-Two's extensive back catalog. While GTA 6 might not be in the cards for the Switch 2, there's a possibility that GTA V could eventually make an appearance.

In an exclusive interview before the investor call, Zelnick also discussed the company's performance over the last quarter, including insights into the development timeline for GTA 6 and his thoughts on its recent delay to next year.