Zelnick: Next Grand Theft Auto Could be Subscription Based

239w ago - At the same BMO Capital Markets' conference last week in New York where he gave an update on upcoming GTAIV DLC and Chinatown Wars, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick offered a glimpse further down the road. In his "Negative Approach" blog for cnet, Dave Rosenberg related these remarks from Zelnick:

The Holy Grail is taking a business, already a very large and successful business that's focused on packaged goods... and turning that into a subscription business or a semi subscription business where we have an ongoing relationship with consumers, giving them products that they want. Who's better positioned to do that than the company that has the top franchises?

It isn't much of a stretch here to start connecting the dots. The Grand Theft series definitely fits the bill as a "successful business that's focused on packaged goods," and it's also the top of their franchise properties. And though delayed, the DLC plan for GTAIV offers an ideal test run for a "semi subscription" model along the lines Zelnick suggests.

Not that they needed more incentive, but Watching World of Warcraft once again flexing its muscle with the release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion must spur them on that much harder.

Everyone asks, "Can a console game tap into the World of Warcraft meme?" and "what will be the next World of Warcraft?" Of all the answers out there, "World of Grand Theft Auto" arguably makes the most sense, and from the sound of Zelnick's comments could already be well under way.