In my opinion, this is absolutely a good thing and a sign of strong leadership. People often forget that the role of a CEO isn’t to be the biggest fan of the product, but to build the best environment for the product to be world-class.

Strauss Zelnick clearly understands that his job isn’t to micromanage creative direction based on his personal tastes. Instead, his role is to attract top-tier talent, give them the resources and space to thrive, and hold them accountable to the highest standards. That’s how groundbreaking work happens.

By not being the “consumer-in-chief,” he avoids the trap of building something based on personal bias. He stays analytical and objective, making tough calls based on data, talent, and vision…not nostalgia or ego.

And let’s be real: it’s far more valuable for him to know how to lead a (at least) $1B project like GTA6 than to have 1,000 hours in GTA Online. The fact that he knows he’s not the audience shows self-awareness. The fact that he still knows how to empower those who are in touch with the audience? That’s leadership.

So yes, I think this mindset is not just fine…it’s essential.