Zelnick Sees "Bright Future" For An Independent Take-Two

Strauss Zelnick says he believes Take-Two Games has a "bright future" as an independent company, but refuses to rule out some form of consolidation in the future.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the Take-Two chairman expressed optimism about the future of interactive entertainment, calling it "the only growth area in the pure entertainment business" and saying, "That's why we're in the Take-Two deal. That will be a really exciting field for the foreseeable future."

Zelnick also indicated that he expected future consolidation in the videogame industry, but that increased value could not be assumed to be an inevitable result. "This is not just a math lesson, this is a creative enterprise. Does consolidation create better games for consumers? Does it create better careers for the creatives?" he asked. "Those questions are just as important. If all stakeholders aren't taken care of, then none of the stakeholders will benefit."

And while the rejection of EA's buyout proposal isn't necessarily the end of the line between the two companies, he added, "We've been at Take-Two for only ten months and are really proud of the progress we've made. And we think this company has a really bright future as an independent company. In the absence of an opportunity that our shareholders value more than this approach, that's our business model."