Strauss Zelnick: The Future of Esports | SALT Talks #124

Strauss Zelnick is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. In addition, he recently served as Interim Chairman of The CBS Corp. Board of Directors. Quitting a role as a film studio president in order to launch a video game company 25 years was a major risk, but this relatively new genre of entertainment showed signs similar to motion pictures in the 1920s. On top of the meteoric rise in video games and interactive entertainment of the last couple decades, the pandemic has accelerated its growth and adoption as people spend more time at home. The technological developments of video games have made human interaction central to its experience, offering a social element for many who wouldn’t have it during a stay-at-home period. “We like to consume entertainment with other people; we like to participate with other people; we like to watch with other people.” Esports represents a new frontier in the video game space with over 250 million viewers. It even serves as the primary entertainment for 125 million. The industry will continue to grow and likely evolve into an ecosystem similar to the professional sports leagues. ————————————————————————— To learn more about this episode, including podcast transcripts and show notes, visit salt.org/talks Moderated by Anthony Scaramucci.