GTA 6's corporate overlord reveals he is looking forward to a'more sensible FTC' in the Trump administration, because 'deregulation can sometimes be a positive.'

Strauss Zelnick discussed the current state of Take-Two, its CEO and Chairman, during a recent earnings conference call. He also talked about the sale of Private Division, the company's high-end independent publishing label. Zelnick also discussed how the upcoming Trump presidential election will affect the business.

"I believe in democracy." Zelnick (via Variety) says that this election was free, fair and secure. "We are an entertainment company and not a political company. We're focused solely on our mission.

"I believe that the President-elect made it very clear that he believes that regulation should be reduced. I believe that the FTC misled during President Biden’s term. I also think that they tried to impede transactions that were beneficial to both the companies and the economy as a whole. The FTC has lost all these cases since. Deregulation can be positive depending on the topic, and I look forward to a more rational FTC."

The FTC has been a major roadblock for Microsoft's bid to acquire Activision Blizzard from the start. It initially planned to sue Microsoft to stop the deal, claiming that the company's treatment towards Bethesda showed that it "can, and will, withhold content from competing platforms." The main issue was whether Microsoft intended to make Call of Duty exclusive.

The FTC also warned courts that the acquisition by Activision Blizzard might lead to a price increase for Game Pass. Microsoft announced that PC Game Pass prices would increase by $2 and Game Pass Ultimate would go from $16.99/month to $19.99/month.

Deregulation is good for Take-Two, and other large corporations. But it's not so great for consumers. The FTC has spent the last two-and-a-half years putting pressure on Microsoft, but the deal went through anyway. I would much rather see an attempt, however successful, to place the consumer's needs above profit. I'm not a billionaire CEO, so my priorities may be different.