Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed rising gaming hardware costs during the company's Q1 2027 earnings call, framing commercial game streaming as the solution that could place low-latency services in widespread use within three years. He described how edge networks and hyperscaler advances might turn phones, tablets, and other non-gaming devices into functional game machines, potentially expanding the effective installed base by a factor of ten without necessarily multiplying revenue from core markets.

Zelnick acknowledged that hardware price increases tied to AI-driven RAM demand represent a genuine issue, noting that cheaper access would place more devices in consumers' hands while insisting Take-Two's title slate would still sell regardless. He pointed to the shift toward open PC systems, where those platforms now account for 40-50% of sales in scenarios that once favored consoles at 1-2%, as evidence that broader device compatibility is already underway.

The prediction drew swift online pushback, with users citing past failures like Google Stadia and concerns over input lag, subscription models, and the erosion of game ownership. Zelnick distanced the company from betting its future on the timeline, observing that a 10x install base would primarily reach previously underserved regions rather than existing high-spending players.