When rumors surfaced about Take-Two seemingly closing down each of its Kerbal House Program 2 developers, Intercept Games and Roll7 – the studio behind Rollerdrome and OlliOlli World respectively – only for CEO Strauss Zelnick to later clarify that it “did not shutter” these studios? Take-Two has officially confirmed the shutdowns, alongside the sale of its independent publishing division, Private Division.
After various reviews claimed, largely based on internal documentation and a complaint filed in Washington, it has been conclusively confirmed that the studios are no longer operational.
A spokesperson for Take-Two has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that details regarding the sale of Private Division to an unnamed buyer will be disclosed “relatively soon,” as announced during the company’s latest earnings call. Despite defining its own scope, Take-Two will still support Moon Studios’ No More Heroes.
The executive offered insight into the company’s decision to support its independent label, which has produced notable successes reminiscent of Obsidian Entertainment’s critically acclaimed game, The Outer Worlds. Take-Two’s chairman, Strauss Zelnick, described it as a “strategic choice” to concentrate resources on core and flagship businesses, specifically highlighting the company’s strengths in massive AAA titles.
The non-public division seems to have gone out of existence. While the CEO praised the label for its excellent support of independent developers, noting that they had successfully completed many tasks, he also acknowledged that “the scope of those projects was, honestly, relatively modest. We’re in the business of creating big, impactful hits.”
Listening to the CEO of a major video game company express dismay at the state of affairs is a jarring revelation, especially considering the unprecedented challenges faced by the industry in 2024.
While Rockstar’s delay of GTA 6 to fall 2025 is still pending, it’s essential to remain focused on this target and quietly ignore the disappointing trend of major publishers abandoning successful game developers.
