GTA 6 shuts down AI use as Google's Genie 3 'ends gaming studios'

Joe Harker
2026-02-04T14:53:26.341Z
News

There has been a major backlash to the use of AI in the gaming industry

Take-Two Interactive boss Strauss Zelnick has shut down the idea that generative AI has any place in the upcoming game GTA 6, as concerns over Google's Genie 3 fear it could be 'the end of gaming studios'.

People have been sharing footage of games they claim they generated in a 'couple of minutes', including one they dubbed 'GTA 6 Greenland Edition'.

The idea that you could use AI to make in minutes what could take game studios weeks or months could be ringing alarm bells for people who make a living making games. Though their cost-cutting bosses may be hoping they could reduce the wage bill by outsourcing the creative work to artificial intelligence.

Even if someone could generate a mockup of a gameplay clip within a couple of minutes, it still can't hold a candle to the polished product made by a team of experts.

AI can cough up a minute-long video which looks a bit like a game, but GTA 6 has been in development for years and Zelnick told gamesindustry.biz he thought generative AI had 'zero part' of Rockstar Games making the highly anticipated game.

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Take-Two owns Rockstar Games and Zelnick said his company 'always has' made extensive use of AI, but insisted they were being used as tools rather than as a substitute for creativity.

He'd previously made his stance over AI clear as he told CNBC 'there is no creativity that can exist by definition in any AI model, because it is data-driven'.

Even if the Genie 3 has some impressive technology behind it, Zelnick has shut down the idea that Rockstar would use it for GTA 6 as he said Take-Two had become 'a leader in the space' and they'd found 'generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies'.

He said: "That said, do I think tools by themselves create great entertainment properties? No, there's no evidence that that's the case and it won't be the case in the future.

"Specifically with regards to GTA 6, generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building. Their worlds are handcrafted. That's what differentiates them.

"They're built from the ground up, building by building, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. They're not procedurally generated, they shouldn't be. That's what makes great entertainment."

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said his company did use generative AI, but insisted it had 'zero part' in GTA 6 (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

When will GTA 6 be available to pre-order?

The simple answer is we'll know when we know as pre-orders aren't yet open, but GAMINGbible estimates that the earliest we're likely to hear something is going to be May.

They reckon with Take-Two's next earning call coming in three months it'd be a decent time to start announcing the next step with GTA 6, and marketing for the game ought to ramp up during the summer.

As such there'll be lots of interest in potential further trailers which could show more of the game as well as any announcement of when they might be able to pre-order.

However, for now we're just having to sit tight.

Google's Genie AI can churn out something that looks a bit like a game in a matter of minutes, but plenty aren't on board with axing creatives who make games special (Google Genie 3)

What's the current GTA 6 release date?

"When is GTA 6 coming out?" is a question that's been on a lot of lips, not least because it keeps changing.

Initially pencilled in for a release in late 2025, Rockstar later had to announce they were pushing the GTA 6 release date back to 26 May, 2026.

Sadly, that release date also didn't last so the latest update on when the game will first be available is that it's coming on 19 November this year.

At this point it's a matter of crossing all your fingers and toes we don't get another painful update telling us that we'll actually be waiting until 2027 for the game to release.

Patience is a virtue, but goodness me we've been waiting for some time for this thing.

It's coming and there will be physical copies (CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)

GTA 6 will have physical copies

For those of you who want to own an actual disc with GTA 6 on it the signs are looking good.

Gamers will be able to buy physical copies of the game when it finally releases and GAMINGbible says the rumour that had been going round about physical sales of the game is bogus.

Debunking the claim, they pointed towards Zelnick's recent earnings call where it was made clear there wasn't going to be a delay on you holding a physical copy of GTA 6 in your hands.

"That's not the plan," he said.