Latest news with #GrandTheftAuto
Globe and Mail
6 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Roblox vs. Take-Two: Which Gaming Stock Is in a Better Position Now?
Roblox Corporation RBLX and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. TTWO are two prominent players in the gaming industry, but they represent distinctly different approaches to growth and monetization. Roblox thrives on user-generated content and a social gaming ecosystem, largely driven by younger audiences. At the same time, Take-Two leans on blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K for recurring revenues. As both companies navigate evolving trends in digital entertainment, investors may be wondering which stock offers better upside in today's market environment. Let us break down the fundamentals, growth outlook and valuation to determine which gaming stock stands out as the stronger buy right now. Case for RBLX Roblox's recent performance has been aided by strong user growth, higher engagement and effective monetization strategies. Daily active users (DAUs) climbed 26% year over year in first-quarter 2025, nearing the 100-million mark. Engagement metrics also showed strength, with users spending more than 21.7 billion hours on the platform, representing a 30% increase. Notably, international expansion played a major role. India saw 77% growth in both DAUs and engagement hours, while Japan posted a 48% increase in DAUs. The company is also experiencing a demographic shift, with users aged 13 and older making up 62% of its DAUs, which management sees as a key monetization opportunity. Roblox is also seeing solid momentum on the creator side, with developer payouts up 39% year over year to $281 million. Initiatives such as price optimization and regional pricing for game passes have helped boost median creator earnings and improve the overall health of the ecosystem. The top 100 experiences by spending now include a growing number of newer titles, suggesting vibrant content creation. On average, the top 100 creators earned $6.7 million over the past 12 months, and more than 100 developers made at least $1 million, reflecting the platform's improving economic viability for content creators. Additionally, operational efficiency and innovation are driving margin and cash flow improvements. Cash from operations rose 86% and the free cash flow surged 123% in the first quarter, both surpassing the guidance. The company is leveraging AI for content moderation, code generation and 3D scene creation, enhancing both internal productivity and developer capabilities. These tools are expected to streamline development, reduce costs and support the long-term goal of capturing a larger share of the global gaming market. However, Roblox's reliance on discretionary consumer spending introduces some vulnerability in a macroeconomic slowdown. Although management cited historical resilience during downturns and emphasized the platform's low-cost entertainment value, a weakening consumer environment may temper booking growth. Case for TTWO Take-Two's growth momentum is underpinned by a strong lineup of evergreen franchises, and newly launched titles across console, PC and mobile platforms. The company's NBA 2K series remains a core pillar, benefiting from consistent innovation and deep consumer engagement across modes like MyTEAM and MyCAREER. This engagement focus has translated into increased user retention and spending. In parallel, WWE 2K and Civilization continue to expand their appeal, with recent releases introducing immersive features and receiving strong critical acclaim. Rockstar's enduring IPs — Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption — also continue to outperform expectations, highlighting the resilience of the company's premium content model. The mobile business, led by Zynga, remains another key growth lever. Zynga has demonstrated a unique ability to consistently generate mobile hits in a tough market. Titles like Match Factory and Color Block Jam have become profitable shortly after launch, thanks to compelling live operations and cross-studio collaboration. Take-Two is also gaining traction in direct-to-consumer mobile monetization, a strategy that reduces reliance on third-party app stores and improves margins. With a broad global user base and integrated first-party data assets, the company is well-positioned to scale its mobile offerings more efficiently than most peers. Take-Two's long-term outlook is supported by its extensive release pipeline, including highly anticipated titles like Grand Theft Auto VI, Borderlands 4, and Mafia: The Old Country. The company's approach balances annual sports titles with major narrative-driven games and mobile rollouts. Management is also investing in the latest technologies, such as VR and platform-specific adaptations, and broadening distribution through partners like Netflix and Nintendo. These efforts are designed to drive both top-line expansion and margin improvement as the pipeline matures. On the downside, the company is contending with elevated development expenses and an impairment charge related to revised expectations for one of its business units — likely Zynga. While management insists this is an accounting adjustment, it reflects some pressure in mobile forecasts. Additionally, guidance points to a plateau in recurrent spending from mobile and GTA Online, suggesting some softening in legacy monetization channels. Nonetheless, leadership remains confident that its upcoming slate will mark a financial turning point and reset the company's growth trajectory. How Does Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for RBLX & TTWO? The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RBLX's 2025 sales implies year-over-year increases of 28%. Then again, the consensus estimate for loss per share in the year is pegged at $1.42 compared with a loss of $1.44 reported in the prior year quarter. However, in the past 7 days, loss estimates have widened for 2025. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TTWO's fiscal 2026 sales and EPS implies year-over-year growth of 6.1% and 31.7%, respectively. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have declined in the past 30 days. Price Performance & Valuation The RBLX stock has surged 69.5% in the past six months, outpacing its industry's growth of 15.9%. Conversely, TTWO shares have risen 18.3% in the same time frame. Price Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research RBLX is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 13.16X, above its median of 8.28X over the last year. TTWO's forward sales multiple sits at 5.61X, above its median of 4.90X over the same time frame. P/S (F12M) End Notes Both Roblox and Take-Two offer compelling growth narratives, but they differ significantly in their strategic approaches. Roblox thrives on a user-driven ecosystem with rising engagement, an expanding global user base and strong momentum in its creator economy, which is increasingly monetized through AI-driven tools and scalable innovation. While it faces near-term risks from consumer discretionary trends, its platform-centric model positions it well for long-term digital entertainment trends. In contrast, Take-Two leans heavily on blockbuster franchises and upcoming major releases, offering dependable brand strength but facing pressure from rising development costs and potential mobile softness. Given Roblox's stronger recent momentum, broader engagement expansion and content scalability, it currently appears to hold a slight edge over Take-Two. Both RBLX and TWWO carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Higher. Faster. Sooner. Buy These Stocks Now A small number of stocks are primed for a breakout, and you have a chance to get in before they take off. At any given time, there are only 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. On average, this list more than doubles the S&P 500. We've combed through the latest Strong Buys and selected 7 compelling companies likely to jump sooner and climb higher than any other stock you could buy this month. You'll learn everything you need to know about these exciting trades in our brand-new Special Report, 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Download the report free now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Roblox Corporation (RBLX): Free Stock Analysis Report
Metro
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Lewis Hamilton admits he's cancelling work just to play new video game
Lewis Hamilton has always been a keen gamer but there's one upcoming title he's looking forward to above all else. With video games more mainstream than they've ever been, it shouldn't be surprising whenever a celebrity expresses an interest in them, but somehow it still is, like when Andor actor Muhannad Ben Amor joined the call for a new Star Wars Battlefront. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has always described himself as a 'big gamer'; so much so that he plans to cancel all his work plans just to play a certain game when it launches. Unsurprisingly, the game in question is GTA 6, easily the most anticipated video game in history, to the point where many expect its success to help prop up the wider games industry. Hamilton shared his enthusiasm during an interview following the Belgium Grand Prix, which took place last weekend, with the GTA 6 part shared online by fan account LH44(A). 'I'm dying for the new Grand Theft Auto to come out,' said Hamilton, a sentiment shared by everyone else considering it's been over a decade since GTA 5 arrived. 'I'll have to cancel all my work when that game comes out,' Hamilton added. Again, this is something many others are likely planning as well, which is easy to organise since GTA 6 has a set launch date of May 26. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. If you're curious, according to the 2026 F1 calendar, GTA 6's launch happens to take place a couple of days after the Canada Grand Prix wraps up and about a week and a half before the Monaco Grand Prix. So, Hamilton will have some free time to himself to enjoy GTA 6. More Trending That's assuming GTA 6 isn't hit with a second delay (something that other games publishers are worried about) although that hopefully shouldn't happen since developer Rockstar Games is gearing up for a global promotional campaign. Hamilton also mentioned that he enjoys playing the Call Of Duty and Assassin's Creed games as well as the Gran Turismo racing sims. In fact, back in 2016 he was in Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare. This is in stark contrast to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick who, despite overseeing GTA 6's launch and hyping it up, has expressed zero interest in playing it himself or any other video games. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Upset Lewis Hamilton reveals the 'career first' mistake he made at Belgian Grand Prix MORE: GTA 6 delay is to give Rockstar 'no limitations' as Take-Two commits to new date MORE: GTA 6 will earn a record breaking £5,000,000,000 in 60 days claims analyst
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I'm dying for GTA 6 to come out': F1 racer Lewis Hamilton vows to 'cancel' his work when game drops; PC fans blast Rockstar for delay
With nearly a year to go before the official launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, or GTA 6, excitement among fans is already reaching a fever pitch. But if you think you are the game's biggest fan, think again—Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton might just take the title. While recently speaking to fans ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa on July 27, the British racing icon said that he plans to 'cancel' work when GTA 6 finally drops, admitting, "I'm dying for the new 'Grand Theft Auto' to come out." The craze for the game is off the charts. Despite Rockstar Games announcing a delay, pushing the game's release date to May 26, 2026, the hype around the long-awaited game remains as strong as ever. However, the delay is expected to dominate the gaming community. Lewis Hamilton is 'dying' for GTA 6 to release Recently, while speaking to his fans, the 40-year-old F1 racer shared a list of his favourite games. 'I'm a big gamer. I play a lot of Call of Duty, but I enjoy Assassin's Creed and Gran Turismo,' he shared. He goes on to say that he is 'dying' for Grand Theft Auto VI to release, and he is ready to cancel all his work that day. 'I'm dying for the new Grand Theft Auto to come out. GTA 6! Yeah, that's the one I'm waiting for. I'll have to cancel all my work when that game comes out.' Fortunately for Hamilton, there is a break in the Formula 1 calendar when GTA 6 is scheduled to release. According to Dexerto, Hamilton will have just raced in Montreal, Canada, and be getting ready for the Monaco Grand Prix, but there is a good gap for him to lock in on GTA 6. Lewis will cancel all his work when GTA6 comes out 😂 List of Lewis Hamilton's favourite games During the event, Hamilton also shared his favourite video games with his fans. He says he is a big gamer, and he likes to play a lot of games, including Call of Duty Assassin's Creed Gran Turismo Grand Theft Auto Series GTA 6 PC delay intensifies online backlash on social media Meanwhile, what was expected to be a moment of excitement has instead led to disappointment for millions of PC gamers worldwide. According to a report by Gaming Bible, the decision to exclude PC from the initial launch, limited to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, has sparked a significant backlash online. Frustrated fans are voicing their discontent across the platforms. FAQs Q. Will GTA VI be released on PC, and when? Yes, a PC version is widely expected, following Rockstar's long-standing release pattern for previous GTA titles. However, there is no date confirmation on the GTA 6 PC release yet. Q. Why is the PC version of GTA VI likely to be delayed? Rockstar consistently launches GTA games on consoles first and releases PC versions months or even years later, as seen with titles like GTA V (19-month delay) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (13 months).
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
F1 star Lewis Hamilton hints at big plans when GTA 6 arrives
Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton recently expressed his excitement for Grand Theft Auto VI, joking that once the game drops, he plans to 'cancel all work.' Speaking offstage around the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton described himself as a serious gamer, saying, 'I'm dying for the new Grand Theft Auto to come out… GTA 6,' and added, 'I'll have to cancel all my work when that game comes out'. The upcoming title is expected for release on May 26, 2026, according to recent industry reports and coverage. Fans noted that the timing conveniently aligns with a break in the Formula 1 calendar, between the Canadian and Monaco Grands Prix, allowing Hamilton a potential window to immerse himself in the game without interrupting his racing commitments. Hamilton's comment highlights how even elite athletes are caught up in the cultural momentum of highly anticipated releases. The attention on GTA 6 is clear: reactions have poured in from the gaming world and mainstream media alike, celebrating how deeply the franchise resonates beyond its core fanbase
CNBC
a day ago
- Business
- CNBC
Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Nike, Microsoft, Walmart & more
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday: JPMorgan upgrades Mara to overweight from neutral JPMorgan says it sees upside for the bitcoin miner. "We are upgrading MARA to OW (from Neutral), as shares do not reflect the company's revised YE25 hashrate target, even after considering capex requirements." Morgan Stanley reiterates Amazon as overweight Morgan Stanley says Amazon is a beneficiary of the Big Beautiful bill passed by Congress. "We see AMZN capturing ~$15bn/year in tax benefits. While most will be re-invested in AWS, even investing 50% of the annual cash flow benefit paints a much faster path to billions of annual automation savings." Wells Fargo initiates Take-Two Interactive as overweight Wells says it's bullish on the release of Grand Theft Auto in 2026 for Take-Two . "We anticipate GTA 6 sells 50M units in FY27, the first year post-launch, at an $80 base game retail ASP [average selling price]." BMO initiates MongoDB as outperform BMO says it likes the cloud database company's valuation. "We are launching on MongoDB with an Outperform rating and a $280 target price." Bank of America reiterates Apple as buy Bank of America says all "eyes [are] on margins" ahead of Apple earnings later this week. "As we head into F3Q25 (June qtr) earnings aftermarket on Thur July 31, we see client sentiment as fairly negative given uncertain impact from tariffs, U.S. DOJ investigation (Google TAC payments), App Store headwinds, and slow progress in AI." Mizuho downgrades GE Vernova to neutral from outperform The firm increased its price target but downgraded GE Vernova on valuation. "We increase our PT to $670, up 63%, due to accelerating EBITDA margins in power and electrification business and higher gas power manufacturing capacity beyond 2028" Morgan Stanley upgrades Hesai to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley says it's bullish on shares of the autonomous driving company. "We expect robotaxis and smart home robotic appliances to serve as Hesai's second revenue growth driver from 2026 onwards." Bernstein upgrades Charter to outperform from market perform Bernstein says investors should buy the dip in the cable giant. "For CHTR, it's the secular challenges that seem to stretch further with each earnings call, and this one certainly didn't help. But as we reflect in the summer heat on what's shaping up to be a tough 2H, we are looking ahead to CHTR's narrative for '26. July is nearly behind us, and this unusual heat, too, will pass." Read more. Deutsche Bank reiterates Tesla as buy Deutsche says more "patience" is needed for Tesla's robotaxi service but that it's sticking with the stock. " Tesla's robotaxi service is currently still very small scale, having accumulated only +7k miles since the launch on June 22nd with 10-20 vehicles in the fleet. Management did not provide a lot of clarity regarding the pace of expansion although Elon Musk indicated the goal of technically being able to cover half the US population by year-end." Oppenheimer initiates Wave Life Sciences as outperform Oppenheimer says shares of the biotech company have plenty room to run. "We initiate Wave Life Sciences (WVE) with an Outperform rating and a $24 price target." Canaccord initiates Gold Fields as buy Canaccord says the gold company is well positioned. " Gold Fields (GFI) is one of the top 10 gold producers globally with 10 operations and is headquartered in South Africa." Morgan Stanley reiterates Walmart as overweight Morgan Stanley says Walmart is a "clear leader" in retail AI. "AI use cases in Food Retail are accelerating, driving stronger sales growth and greater efficiencies. WMT a clear leader." Evercore ISI downgrades Cisco to in line from outperform Evercore downgraded the stock mainly on valuation. "We are downgrading Cisco to In Line as the stock is within 6% of our price target of $72. The stock has performed well recently with a +46% move over the last twelve months vs. +17% for the S & P." Bank of America reinstates Surgery Partners as buy The firm moved to buy from no rating on the outpatient surgery company and says the stock is being unfairly punished. "We change our rating on SRGY to Buy from No Rating as we no longer believe that the stock is trading on deal speculation (on 6/17, SGRY rejected the buyout offer from Bain Capital)." Wolfe upgrades Texas Instruments to outperform from neutral Wolfe says it likes the company's multi-year CapEx Plan. "We're upgrading TXN from Peer Perform to Outperform and setting a $230 price target." JPMorgan upgrades Nike to overweight from equal weight The firm says the turnaround is underway at Nike. "NKE is the global athletic market leader with diversification across product categories, geographies, and distribution, and we see the model at an inflection for revenue growth to re-accelerate into 2H26/FY27 following several quarters of franchise product lifecycle management & inventory liquidation headwinds." Read more. Benchmark initiates Lionsgate Studios as buy The firm says it's bullish on shares of the movie studio company. "We are initiating coverage of Lionsgate Studios with a BUY rating and an $8.50 eighteen-month price target." Stifel reiterates Microsoft as buy Stifel raised its price target on Microsoft to $550 per share from $500 ahead of earnings later this week. "Looking forward, we believe management's prior expectation that supply/demand imbalances would linger beyond June will be further pushed out to F2H26, and we also expect FY26 capex commentary could likely exceed our./street estimates of ~$110B/$100B, respectively, echoing Alphabet's commentary during earnings." JPMorgan downgrades American Eagle to underweight from neutral The firm says the lifestyle retailer is is showing signs of a "promotional overhang." "Conversely, we downgrade AEO to Underweight - modeling 2Q SSS/EPS more/less in-line with guidance/Street flagging our 3Q25 EPS 12% below Consensus on elevated advertising investments Y/Y and potential promotional 'overhang' post 1H merchandising mis-execution with our FY26 EPS 15% below the Street." Read more. Argus upgrades Las Vegas Sands to buy from neutral Argus says it's like Las Vegas Sands capital investments. "We expect the shares to rally now that the company has completed its capital investment programs."
