Tangent
The trailer briefly tanked shares of Take-Two, the parent company of GTA developer Rockstar Games, before the stock quickly surged into the positive. Take-Two shares are down 9% on the year.
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Big Number
21.7 million. That is how many followers Cenat has amassed on Twitch, becoming the most-followed streamer on the platform. He has averaged around 75,000 viewers per livestream this month, according to twitchtracker.com, though his livestream of the GTA VI trailer likely dwarfed that number.
What Did The Trailer Show?
The trailer, which marks the first gameplay shown of the video game since its first cinematic trailer released in 2023, showed playable missions involving high-speed getaways, robbery, armed and unarmed combat and more across a large map, which The New York Times notes will be three times larger than Rockstar’s last hit game, “Red Dead Redemption 2.” The trailer also showed highly polished graphics and lighting, which has become a staple of Rockstar releases.
Key Background
The latest GTA installment, which has undergone two delays that pushed back its initial planned release of fall 2025, will come to consoles Nov. 19. Controversially, Rockstar initiated pre-orders for the game before any gameplay was shown, creating backlash from gamers who thought it was unethical to expect purchases to be made before the main part of the product was even revealed. However, the decision appeared to pay off, as Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said in an earnings call earlier this month that Take-Two recorded an “exceptional start” to pre-orders, more of which were made for GTA VI’s $100 ultimate edition than the standard $80 version. The game’s lead-up was shrouded in even more controversy last week when gameplay leaks spread across social media. Take-Two then subpoenaed Microsoft and Discord for information on the supposed leakers, who framed the action as a protest of Rockstar not releasing GTA VI with physical discs. Consumers have criticized the larger gaming industry for prioritizing digital releases over physical ones, arguing digital downloads of games are licenses that can be pulled from platforms and gamers at a moment’s notice. Rockstar said in a statement this week the leaks were “heartbreaking for our team” and apologized for how long it took to release the game and share details around it.
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Further Reading
Chase Is On For ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ Leaker—Take-Two Subpoenas Microsoft And Discord (Forbes)
Army Unit’s GTA VI Vacation Offer Among ‘Routine’ Reenlistment Incentives, Spokesperson Says (Forbes)
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