UPDATE: Take-Two has now issued the following statement:
“Strauss misspoke during today’s call, as over a year ago Rockstar Games had said that they were exploring story mode content for Grand Theft Auto V. However, no further information has been released since. As always, we leave it to Rockstar Games to share information about their games when they’re ready.”
Ruh-roh, Take-Two’s boss Strauss Zelnick seems to have no recollection of any GTA 5 (opens in new tab) story DLC. In a transcript (opens in new tab) of an earnings call, Zelnick says Take Two hasn’t “discussed any story-based downloadable content”, and flat out doesn’t seem to remember it was ever mentioned or announced.
Here’s the excerpt from the call:
Doug L. Creutz – Cowen & Co. LLC
When you had originally launched GTA V, I believe that you had said that there was going to be some story-based DLC content shipping eventually and obviously where your past (36:32) game launch. Is that still something that you have planned? And I’m sure you’re not going to talk about timing but is there still something that’s in the pipeline for you guys, eventually? Thank you.
Strauss H. Zelnick – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
No, we haven’t discussed any story-based downloadable content. We did talk about the Heists and they’ve been released.
Doug L. Creutz – Cowen & Co. LLC
But I am correct in remembering that you had talked about that around the launch of the game?
Strauss H. Zelnick – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
We have different recollections.
Doug L. Creutz – Cowen & Co. LLC
Okay. Thank you.
It’s pretty clearly mentioned here (opens in new tab) on Rockstar’s own site, although that was for a 2014 release where, way back in December of 2013, this was said:
GTAV Story Mode Updates. For those ready to jump back into the story of Grand Theft Auto V, we have big plans for substantial additions in 2014 continuing Michael, Franklin and Trevor’s action, mayhem and unexpected adventures in Southern San Andreas.
More recently, in December of last year, Shawn Fonteno, who plays Franklin, said, “we’re working on the DLC, downloadable content, for Grand Theft Auto 5 and that’s real big. That’s like first on my list to finish that up.” That’s in this video about the 6m30s mark:
Given that Rockstar seem to pretty much do whatever it wants, it’s possible Zelnick has never talked about story DLC. Whatever’s happened to it, the lengthy delay to heists is likely one of the reasons we’ve not seen a thing on it since 2013. Fonteno’s mention suggests work was at least scheduled at the turn of the year, but whether or not it happened is another thing altogether.