Take-Two Interactive, owner of Rockstar Games, has laid off Luke Dicken, head of its AI division, and several staff members under him. Dicken announced the move in a LinkedIn post, expressing disappointment over the end of his and his team's tenure at the company. Take-Two declined to comment on the layoffs.
Luke Dicken shared on LinkedIn that his time with Take-Two, referred to as T2, and that of his team has ended. He described the development as truly disappointing. The team had been working on cutting-edge technology to support game development, with expertise in areas like procedural content for games and machine learning. Dicken noted he is seeking new roles for his staff with these skills, though the exact number affected remains unclear beyond him and several team members spotted by Game Developer. Game Developer first spotted Dicken's post announcing the layoffs. The publisher, known for titles like Grand Theft Auto through its Rockstar Games subsidiary, did not respond to requests for confirmation. Take-Two has previously embraced generative AI tools to drive efficiencies and reduce costs. CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that such technology will not reduce employment but increase it, as it boosts productivity, GDP, and jobs in turn. The layoffs come amid preparations for Grand Theft Auto VI, expected to be a major release providing financial flexibility.
