Ben-DutkaTake-Two has historically had the same problem: in any year they don't release a Grand Theft Auto , they take a financial hit. But Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption should finally change that for fiscal 2010.
In speaking to VentureBeat , Take-Two CEO Ben Feder has said the pricey blockbuster, which has shipped over 5 million units to date and has supposedly (not official) passed the 4 million mark in actual sales, will turn a profit for the company. As several analysts stated, the epic Western would need to sell at least 4 million copies just to break even, as the rumored budget for the game that took nearly 6 years to produce came close to $100 million. Calling it a "game changer" for the company, Feder went on to say that "rushing a game to market has never ever been a successful strategy for anybody in this business." And as for the long development process:
"We have a very disciplined green-lighting process at Take-Two. We review the games constantly. In a formal way and an informal way even more frequently. We make decisions about four times a year on whether to proceed or not. It’s a truth-telling process. We had a sense the title would do well. We were not expecting this kind of audience. The guys at Rockstar have an unmatched track record in creating compelling content. It was also as robust a marketing plan as I have ever seen in my career. We took a few risks with it. We had a particular point of view on it."
And even after the high cost required to make and release the game, "it's going to contribute nicely to profits." Of course, it also helps that the game in question is a legitimate Game of the Year contender, and worthy of most all praise it receives. As GTA in the Old West, it's really a can't-miss for most gamers.
Related Game(s): Red Dead Redemption