Take-Two CEO Says the Company is Under-Monetizing its Users

[ffronw]

Take-Two CEO Says the Company is Under-Monetizing its Users

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1409/1409584.jpgDon't be surprised if you see more microtransactions in Take-Two published games in the future.

Yesterday, as Take-Two was announcing its technology conference [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/170461-Take-Two-Interactive-Acquires-Kerbal-Space-Program]. During his presentation, he discussed the topic of microtransactions, and how he felt Take-Two was doing with regards to them.

Zelnick said [https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rockstars-parent-company-talks-microtransactions-v/1100-6450459/] that Take-Two wasn't maximizing its microtranaction business. "We are convinced that we are probably from an industry view undermonetizing on a per-user basis. There is wood to chop because I think we can do more, and we can do more without interfering with our strategy of being the most creative and our ethical approach, which is delighting consumers."

But Zelnick also acknowledged that you can go too far in charging players for every last bit of content. "You can't give stuff away for free in perpetuity; there's no business model in that," Zelnick said. "But we're not trying to optimize the monetization of everything we do to the nth degree. My concern is, if you do that, the consumer knows. They might not even know that they know, but they feel it."

"We're not going to grab the last nickel," he said.

What's the takeaway? Well, you can expect Take-Two published games to continue supporting microtransactions, and you may see them ramp up a bit in the future. Rockstar has already said that Red Dead Redemption 2 (which was recently delayed into Spring 2018 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/170415-Red-Dead-Redemption-2-Delay-Spring-2018]) will have an online component, so don't be surprised when it sports microtransactions.

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[Erttheking]

Well I sure am glad I found the last GTA kinda boring and am not really interested in the next one.

 

[Xorph]

Hopefully this just means heaploads of paid cosmetics and not anything that'd actually interfere with the gameplay of their future games.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

That's a shame. I've always praised Rockstar and Take Two for releasing regular free content for GTA:O and not holding the wallets of gamers to ransom. Guess $$$ has finally won out over customer satisfaction.

 

[pookie101]

and straight after they annouced they own kebral space program too

 

[Bedinsis]

I expected the following rows:

Disclosure(s): Strauss Zelnick, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is the head of ZelnickMedia, an investor in both Take-Two and Defy Media, LLC, our parent company. This article was published without approval or consent of ZelnickMedia or Take-Two.

Or was this article published with approval or consent?

 

[Tsun Tzu]

I will continue not purchasing their games then.

Not because of some personal crusade...but because I'm just not interested in their titles and talk like this certainly isn't making them more appealing.

 

[Laughing Man]

Lol company CEO stands up in front of crowd and tells people that he believes his company aren't being big enough dicks and that believes they could be bigger dicks in future without making it seem like they are being bigger dicks... what a total dick.

 

[Callate]

Should I be hopeful that he still cares enough about appearances to at least pay lip service to creativity and player experience? Or just despair that CEOs can now openly discuss not just microtransactions but optimizing microtransactions without fear of getting torn to pieces by an angry mob?

I understand that the costs involved with "AAA" game development continue to climb, but by every power, I wish microtransactions had stayed in "free-to-play". Or better yet, never been invented in the first place.

 

[Creator002]

I don't even care if this is ultimately good or bad for any party. As a CEO, he should know that saying "we're going to start charging you for stuff"[footnote]Yes, I know things cost money. That's not my point.[/footnote] is a sure way to get bad PR.

 

[Bindal]

Lol company CEO stands up in front of crowd and tells people that he believes his company aren't being big enough dicks and that believes they could be bigger dicks in future without making it seem like they are being bigger dicks... what a total dick.

At least he's honest about it.

 

[warmachine]

I guess that means Take-Two won't interfere with development of Civilization 7 except require downloadable graphics and UIs.

 

[Briggins]

My concern is, if you do that, the consumer knows.

That's the concern he has huh? Doesn't exactly instill me with a lot of confidence. At the very least I'd recommend not pre-ordering anything they make until after you get a good look at the monetization scheme.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I have 2 words for this: FUCK MICROTRANSACTIONS!

 

[gigastar]

>Title

So this gonna get 2K The Happy Merchants Award for Biggest Shekel-Grubber of 2017?

>Article

Guess not, though it still depends on them how they ultimately go about it. I doubt theyre going to go full retard and make remastered versions of games available only by purchasing a premium edition of a new game that looks like total shit.

 

[Cycloptomese]

I tend not to crusade to hard or get very loud about these sorts of industry shenanigans, but this guy really sounds like a huge douche. Like, you could cleanse a whale's vagina with this guy.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Well, I wont be surprised if Kerbal Space Program suddenly will have MT's aswel.

 

[Saelune]

Dear Take Two:

 

[TilMorrow]

Red Dead Redemption 2, now with more dlc horses then you can bat an eye at. Don't forget you need to buy bags, safes and train cars of gold with real money to purchase them in the first place. Oh and remember those Outfits with effects you could find whilst playing the last RDR? Well we both known where that's going! *wink* (Also forget the pre-order one, it's a golden gun skin this time around!).

Well just saying this going off the GTA5 Shark Credit Cards as reference.

 

[deadish]

Did anyone even read the post?

But Zelnick also acknowledged that you can go too far in charging players for every last bit of content. "You can't give stuff away for free in perpetuity; there's no business model in that," Zelnick said. "But we're not trying to optimize the monetization of everything we do to the nth degree. My concern is, if you do that, the consumer knows. They might not even know that they know, but they feel it."

"We're not going to grab the last nickel," he said.

He is pretty much justifying his company's decision to not squeeze every last nickel from their customers even though from a industry perspective there is "money on the table".