GTA Online’s growth complicates a Grand Theft Auto 6 launch for Rockstar

Grand Theft Auto V and the connected world of GTA Online continue to drive revenue growth for developer Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two Interactive. Rockstar has now shipped 145 million copies of GTA V. At the same time, GTA Online surpassed its previous record number of active players during Take-Two’s fiscal fourth quarter. Through that same period, GTA Online also generated its second-highest quarter ever for in-game spending. And yet that success comes with its own series of complications — especially when it comes to navigating a transition to a Grand Theft Auto 6.

In its annual earnings report on Tuesday, Take-Two said that Grand Theft Auto V “exceeded our expectations.” Rockstar produced new content, and that led to record engagement from new and returning players. GTA Online’s in-game spending also grew by 31% to a new high through a 12-month period.