Take-Two cuts head of AI and multiple team members in latest round of layoffs

Take-Two Interactive has laid off its head of AI along with an unknown number of team members, according to a report from Game Developer. The executive confirmed on LinkedIn that his time with the company had 'come to an end,' signaling yet another round of cuts at one of the industry's biggest publishers.

The specifics of how many employees were affected remain unclear, but the fact that the AI division's leadership was caught in the sweep raises questions about how Take-Two is planning to structure its technology investments going forward. Losing a department head mid-cycle is rarely a clean or simple reorganization.

A broader trend that won't quit

Take-Two has already had a rough couple of years on the personnel front. The company behind franchises like Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K, and Borderlands previously announced significant layoffs in 2024, cutting hundreds of roles and cancelling several projects as it worked to rein in costs ahead of major upcoming releases.

This latest round hits at an interesting time. The entire games industry has been investing heavily in AI tooling for development pipelines - everything from animation assistance to QA automation - making cuts to an AI team a somewhat surprising strategic signal. Whether this reflects a pivot away from certain AI initiatives, a consolidation of responsibilities under existing teams, or simply cost-cutting pressure is not yet clear.

What it means for GTA VI and beyond

Take-Two's flagship release on the horizon is GTA VI, one of the most anticipated games in recent memory. Rockstar Games operates with significant autonomy under the Take-Two umbrella, so it's unlikely these cuts directly impact that project's development. Still, publisher-level instability has a way of creating friction across an organization, and the games industry has learned over the past two years that no department is fully insulated from the axe.

The layoffs add Take-Two to a growing list of major publishers - including EA, Microsoft, and Sony - that have made notable workforce reductions since 2023. For the developers and staff affected, the timing is brutal regardless of the corporate rationale behind it.

Game Developer first reported the story based on the LinkedIn post from the departing executive. Take-Two has not issued a public statement at the time of writing.