GTA Online with Roblox's business model? Take-Two CEO comments

With $387 million in quarterly revenues, Roblox's community-driven business model is turning heads. Could user-generated content find its way into games like Grand Theft Auto Online?

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GTA Online is already a powerhouse of engagement and revenues. Since 2013, the game has continued to gain momentum with new content and strong microtransaction earnings. Take-Two arguably doesn't have to adjust GTA Online's model--the money-making machine seems to be running fine. But competitors like Roblox do offer some interesting ideas.

Like all live games, GTA Online is driven by its community. Rockstar, however, makes all of GTA Online's content--a stark contrast to how Roblox's creators make their own games to share with others. What if Rockstar moved to this model and gave players the tools to make their own low-code mini-games and experiences?

In a recent earnings call, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick comments on the idea, but don't expect to see a Roblox-style environment added to the game any time soon.

"We're open-minded and we want to support the community, but it's also terribly important we protect our IP," he said.

"I believe we will explore many of the ways for the community to express themselves in the context of us protecting our IP. We're very optimistic on what's to come [with GTA Online]."

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Roblox isn't a game, but a platform that hosts monetized user-created mini-games.

Meanwhile gamers are creating their own unique games with GTA V mods. This probably won't ever carry over into the actual game, though.

Zelnick also says that there's lots more GTA Online content to come as well as big updates for FY2022. GTA Online is also getting a standalone release on PlayStation and Xbox consoles while will help re-monetize the game in a new standalone way, along with a next-gen port of GTA V.

That being said, GTA V is expected to moderate in FY2022 even with the next-gen re-releases on the horizon.