A partnership isn’t the same as a handover. That’s the message coming from Take-Two Interactive as speculation grows around its ties with Netflix over Grand Theft Auto VI: the streamer is gearing up for a special showcase of the game in late August, but a buyout of the publisher is off the table.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the topic in an interview with CNBC. He said the two companies have signed a whole series of agreements recently, and their partnership has genuinely deepened. But closer ties around content, it turns out, don’t translate into closer ties on ownership.
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Why Take-Two Isn’t Worried About a Netflix Acquisition
Zelnick pointed out that Netflix has historically favored organic growth over large-scale acquisitions of studios and publishers. In other words, the streamer’s usual playbook doesn’t really point toward snapping up partners — even a high-profile one like Take-Two.
He then made his stance clear, with a fair bit of pride: the company built itself from the ground up and is now the largest publicly traded independent player in the global games industry. If any company deserves to stay independent, he added, it’s Take-Two.
What’s Backing Take-Two’s Confidence
The statement isn’t just about ambition — the numbers back it up too. Zelnick noted that the company expects to bring in more than $8 billion in revenue this year and continues to post profits consistently. With GTA VI — arguably the industry’s most anticipated release in years — on the horizon, that kind of financial stability makes independence look like a lot more than just a talking point.
What this means for players and the industry:
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The Take-Two–Netflix partnership will likely continue in its current form — joint showcases, promotion, and possibly extra content around GTA VI, but no merger of the two businesses.
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The publisher made it clear a sale isn’t on the table, even with major players circling the industry.
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Take-Two’s financials give it real room to maneuver — its independence is backed by more than just words, but by steady revenue too.
Worth keeping in mind: executive comments in interviews reflect a position at a given moment, not a binding commitment. Sentiment around big companies can shift fast, especially around a project generating as much hype as GTA VI. For now, though, the signal is clear: Take-Two intends to see the game through to release on its own terms, with Netflix staying a promotional partner and showcase platform rather than a potential buyer.
