In one of the most expensive acquisitions in the history of video games,Take-Two Interactivehas bought mobile gaming giant Zynga. The deal is a big indicator ofTake-Two’s intentions to bring its IPs to mobile, and two of the games with the biggest potential in this respect come from Take-Two subsidiary, Rockstar Games. However, this deal follows a lot of criticism of the content Rockstar has been publishing as of late, due to unfinished and uninspiring releases. While it is Rockstar Games properties that could yield the most potential for Take-Two mobile games, it is also Rockstar Games that is rapidly losing fan loyalties.
In particular, how Rockstar has handled two of its biggest franchises,Grand Theft AutoandRed Dead Redemption,has left many fans of these series frustrated. Paradoxically though,Grand Theft Auto Onlineremains one of Rockstar’s biggest earners thanks to continual updates; Rockstar’s focus onGTA Online, and remasters of previous titles, have leftRed Deadfans and those waiting forGrand Theft Auto 6news feeling neglected. Thus, the costly acquisition of Zynga paints a picture of what fans ofGTAandRed Deadcan expect from Rockstar for the next few years, and while it’s good news for some, other fans may be disappointed.
RELATED:Every Zynga Franchise That Take-Two Interactive Now Owns
Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto 6
The response to Rockstar’s latest remasters and re-releases, such asGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogyand the upcomingGrand Theft Auto 5next-gen port, proves a level of fatigue amongst fans with the previous games in the series. SinceGTA 5came out in 2013, almost a decade ago, the wait forGrand Theft Auto 6has been longer than any other game in the series.
In the meantime, steady updates have keptGTA Onlinepopular and profitable for Rockstar Games. While there has already been some speculation over how the Zynga acquisition might impactGTA 6,the expensive price Take-Two has paid for Zynga is a big indicator thatproperties more suited for mobile play, likeGTA Online,are a potentially large focus for the developers right now.
None of this is to say thatGrand Theft Auto 6is not a priority for Rockstar, especially given the huge expectations for the game. However, it is more Rockstar news that leaves fans waiting for updates onGTA 6empty-handed. Considering the poor response to recent Rockstar releases, there is a lot of pressure for the developer to give a solid update on a new game soon.
While such news would likely be welcomed with open arms, the Zynga acquisition isn’t exactly promising in this respect.The sooner Rockstar releases details aboutGTA 6,the better,as the longer fans only receive updates about new versions of existingGTAgames, the more Rockstar stands to alienate fans and put more pressure and expectations onGTA 6.
RELATED:Leaker Suggests Rockstar’s Next Game Will Be Announced This Year
While there have been rumors thatRed Dead Redemption 3is in the works, there’s been no official announcement to this effect from Rockstar. SinceGrand Theft Autofans have been waiting longer, it seems likely there’ll be updates onGTA 6before there may be any news onRed Dead Redemption 3.As forRed Dead Online,fans have recently launched a campaign to save the game due toincreasingly lackluster updates to the game in comparison toGTA Online.
WhileRed Deadis a massive franchise for Rockstar, the pervasive feeling amongst fans is that Rockstar prioritizesGTA Onlineover most other properties, since it earns so much revenue. However, the Zynga acquisition may be good news forRed Dead Onlinefans since it would work well as a mobile game.
At the very least,Red Deadfans can expect some form of mobileRed Deadgame to come from this deal. If Rockstar does release a mobile version ofRed Dead Online,it could bring the game to new audiences and make it more popular. Take-Two has expressed interest in exploring cross-platform gaming with Zynga, which may eventuallyseeRed Dead Onlinegain some crossplay functionality.
However, the “Save Red Dead” campaign is not calling for a mobile version or crossplay, but for comprehensive updates to the existing console version of the game. Right now, there are too many variables to accurately predict what a mobileRed Deadwould mean for console versions ofRed Dead Online,but there is definitely hope for the future of this game.
Notably, the pressure building on Rockstar to release updates aboutGrand Theft Auto 6is much more than it is to release news on a newRed Dead Redemptiongame. While the Zynga acquisition isn’t great news for anyone waiting on updates for either, it definitely seems likeRed Dead Redemption 3may be much further away than a newGTAgame. More broadly though, the acquisition proves Take-Two will be engaging a lot more in mobile gaming. Console players are worried about how mobile gaming might influence futureRed DeadorGTAgames. Considering the poor release to Rockstar releases over the past few years, Rockstar needs to win back fans.
Mobile gaming may prove to be a big earner for Take-Two, especially when it comes toGrand Theft AutoandRed Dead Redemption.However,after a lot of blundered releases, Rockstarwould need to release a really impressive mobile game to win back the confidence of fans. The public move towards mobile gaming by Take-Two Interactive also adds a lot more pressure on news ofGrand Theft Auto 6.Therefore, if Rockstar fails to release an update onGTA 6soon, it will further damage the relationship between fans and the developer unless Rockstar can reassure console gamers of its commitment to the future of these series some other way.
