In a significant shift within the gaming industry, Take-Two Interactive has officially divested its indie publishing label, Private Division. This announcement came during the company’s latest financial report, though the specifics regarding the sale price and the new ownership remain undisclosed. CEO Strauss Zelnick hinted at an upcoming revelation regarding Private Division’s new home, promising details “relatively soon.”
Strategic Refocus
The decision to part ways with Private Division appears to stem from Take-Two’s desire to concentrate its efforts on larger-scale projects. Zelnick articulated this strategic pivot, emphasizing the company’s commitment to its core and mobile businesses for sustained growth. “We’re really best at these big triple-A experiences,” he stated, underscoring the importance of leveraging Take-Two’s vast portfolio of intellectual properties. “Our mission is to create sequels to beloved franchises and develop new hit intellectual properties.”
While the Private Division team has been praised for their adept support of independent developers—resulting in a commendable track record of successful projects—the scale of these endeavors did not align with Take-Two’s ambitions. Zelnick candidly acknowledged that the projects were, “on the smaller side,” reiterating the company’s focus on producing major hits that resonate within the interactive entertainment landscape.
Speculation surrounding the potential sale of Private Division first surfaced in June, coinciding with reports of Take-Two’s closure of studios such as Roll7 and Intercept Games. Since its inception in December 2017, Private Division has carved out a niche in the indie publishing space, but the recent changes signal a recalibration of Take-Two’s strategic priorities.
