Take-Two Reports Strong Q1 2026 Earnings, Boosted by GTA, Mobile Success, and Record Franchise Sales

Take-Two Interactive has posted a strong start to its fiscal year, reporting a 17% year-on-year increase in net bookings to $1.42 billion for the quarter ending June 30, 2025.

This performance not only surpassed expectations but also came in “significantly above” the company’s guidance range of $1.25 billion to $1.3 billion.

Riding on this momentum, the publisher has raised its Net Bookings for fiscal year 2026 to between $6.05 billion and $6.15 billion.

The company credits its strong results to better-than-expected performances from multiple mobile titles, alongside the continued dominance of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise.

According to the financial report, net revenue for the quarter hit $1.5 billion (up 12% year-on-year), while the net loss was reduced to $12 million from $262 million in the same period last year.

GTA 6 Hype

GTA 6 (Credit: Rockstar Games)

One of the biggest drivers this quarter was Rockstar Games, which saw a surge in player engagement following the release of Grand Theft Auto 6’s second trailer earlier in the year. The trailer itself broke records with over 475 million views, boosting GTA Online activity and attracting a 50% year-over-year increase in new player accounts. Recurrent consumer spending across Rockstar titles rose 17%, far exceeding the company’s 7% forecast.

The Grand Theft Auto series as a whole continues to be a commercial powerhouse. During the earnings call, Take-Two revealed that the franchise has sold nearly 455 million units, with GTA 5 alone accounting for 215 million of those sales. This makes it one of the best-selling games in history, having been the top-selling title in the U.S. for the past decade in both units and revenue.

Mobile Segment Exceeds Expectations

While Rockstar delivered on the console and PC side, mobile gaming emerged as the top performer. Take-Two’s mobile business contributed 56% of net bookings ($792.8 million), led by titles such as Toon Blast, Match Factory, NBA 2K All-Star, and Rollic’s Color Block Jam.

According to CEO Strauss Zelnick, the mobile segment “vastly exceeded expectations” this quarter. Color Block Jam became Rollic’s highest-grossing title ever and maintained its position at the top of the charts throughout the period. Toon Blast saw a 22% increase in performance year-over-year, while Match Factory posted record net bookings, growing 33% from last year.

Other notable performers included WWE SuperCard, which has now surpassed 37 million lifetime downloads, and NBA 2K All-Star in China, which has delivered “strong and profitable results” since its March launch.

2K Games Growth and Upcoming Releases

On the 2K side, NBA 2K25 has already sold over 11.5 million units. Engagement levels were up significantly, with daily active users rising 30% and recurrent consumer spending increasing by 48%.

Looking ahead, Take-Two expects recurrent consumer spending to account for around 76% of net bookings in the next quarter. The company predicts a revenue split of 45% from Zynga (mobile), 39% from 2K, and 16% from Rockstar Games.

The publisher is also building excitement for its upcoming releases this quarter, including Mafia: The Old Country, NBA 2K26, and Borderlands 4. Zelnick described the company’s future lineup as “the most ambitious pipeline in our history” and expressed confidence in delivering record levels of net bookings in fiscal 2027.

Take 2 lineup

RDR2 Hits New Milestone

Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 has now sold over 77 million copies, making it the sixth best-selling video game of all time. The game moved 4 million units in the last quarter alone, despite being nearly seven years old. Its critical acclaim, immersive open world, and ongoing popularity have helped it stay in the U.S. top 20 charts.

Beyond Rockstar, the company’s other major franchises continue to post impressive lifetime numbers:

• NBA 2K series — over 162 million units sold

• Borderlands series — over 94 million units sold

• Sid Meier’s Civilization series — over 77 million units sold

GTA 6 Pricing Speculation

During an interview with Variety, Zelnick was asked about the potential $80 price tag for GTA 6, set to launch in 2026. He avoided confirming any figure, instead emphasizing that the company’s goal is to “deliver more value than what we charge” and that pricing decisions will ultimately come from Rockstar.

While Zelnick didn’t rule out a higher launch price, industry analysts believe GTA 6 could follow the recent trend toward $80 premium releases. Some have speculated about even higher-priced editions, though a $100 standard version is considered unlikely.