Take-Two Bolsters Defenses Against AI-Assisted Piracy

Take-Two Interactive is strengthening its technical and legal defenses against AI-assisted reverse engineering as Grand Theft Auto VI approaches its console release. The company is seeking to limit piracy and the creation of unauthorized versions of its games.

CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the issue during Take-Two’s latest earnings call. The company is “highly focused on that, obviously,” he said, referring to the potential use of artificial intelligence to analyze and reproduce parts of its games.

“We are utterly focused on enhancing our technical defenses and enhancing our legal activities appropriately,” Zelnick said. He added that piracy affects every entertainment business and described the problem as “manageable.”

Zelnick pointed to the large file sizes, technical complexity and online server requirements of Take-Two’s games. Those factors can make it difficult to reproduce the games outside their official platforms, although he acknowledged that piracy “is going to become more of a challenge.”

Zelnick did not specifically mention Grand Theft Auto VI or a PC release. Rockstar Games’ next Grand Theft Auto title is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The company has not announced a PC version.

An unauthorized PC version would require reverse engineering, emulation or another method of adapting the console game. Reverse engineering involves analyzing software to understand how it works and reproduce some or all of its functions.

PlayStation 5 emulators, including KytyPS5 and SharpEmu, can run a limited number of games. Some games have reached frame rates of 60 frames per second. A playable emulated version of Grand Theft Auto VI would require the game’s files and a modified console, and the title’s technical requirements could make that difficult.

Take-Two’s technical measures could include detecting altered game files or unauthorized software. Its legal actions could target developers and distributors of infringing tools and copies.

Rockstar has not announced when Grand Theft Auto VI will come to PC. Grand Theft Auto V arrived on PC about 18 months after its console debut, while Red Dead Redemption 2 reached PC roughly a year after its original release.

Reviewed and fact-checked by Vlad Kipran on November 10.