Mr. Michael Pachter – everyone's favorite clairvoyant video game analyst – has a knack for making headlines. Whether it's "Pachter snubs pal Lohan in Viper Club debacle" or "EA could delay GTA IV's April 29 release" we tend to take notice. On the latest episode of Bonus Round, Pachter told host Geoff Keighley, "I think if EA takes over Take-Two, they have an economic incentive to delay [Grand Theft Auto IV]." What economic incentive might that be? Why, to hold the release until the far more lucrative fourth quarter. As for why Take-Two isn't simply doing that itself, the Pach explains, "Take-Two, financially, has to get that game out ... they need the money. They need to get it out."
That's all well and good but, you see, it's just that we've had April 29th circled on our Strauss Zelnick pinup calendar (in permanent marker no less) for over two months and, since Peter Moore really dropped the ball, we also went ahead and got that date tattooed on our far less impressive biceps. So, to recap, if EA manages to merge their giant family with Take-Two's impressive roster, your plans for May are shot and we're going to have a funny tattoo story to tell the grandkids.
Reader Comments (82)
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:17PM Exo said
must pe nice to get paid for takeing random shit out of your ass. Ill try:
NINTENDO TO GO SOFTWARE DEVELOPER ONLY.
NOW WHERES MY MONEY!!!!!
NINTENDO TO GO SOFTWARE DEVELOPER ONLY.
NOW WHERES MY MONEY!!!!!
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:25PM HumanNature said
If gta gets delay to a date near june 12, it's not going to do too well considering many games cost $60. I will pick mgs4 over gta and there is also soul calibar 4.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:37PM JH315 said
No.
No no no no no, goddamnit, no.
That said, it's only speculation.
No no no no no, goddamnit, no.
That said, it's only speculation.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:37PM Drago Dracini said
EA=Antichrist of video games.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:38PM BlackIceJoe said
Well EA sucks any way you look at this. If they buy Take Two or not every one will hate them. So the lesser or two evils would be EA NOT to buy Take Two.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 8:55PM (Unverified) said
Piss off EA.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:00PM Neebs said
Ugh, I hate all you morons who flame analysts. It's not their job to pull shit out of their ass (as you all say), it's their job to speculate on the market.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:41PM Delgadoh said
He gets PAID for this. My stock analysts at Charles Schwab get paid to be right, and I would "flame" those assholes too if they were as inaccurate as Patcher.
Joystiq showed a poll recently showing Patcher as having a high % of correct guesses - they just didn't mention how all of his correct analysis are gimmes that readers of this site could easily presume.
Not only that, he is negative about his predictions, and we don't like to hear negativity - we're a happy people.
Reply
Joystiq showed a poll recently showing Patcher as having a high % of correct guesses - they just didn't mention how all of his correct analysis are gimmes that readers of this site could easily presume.
Not only that, he is negative about his predictions, and we don't like to hear negativity - we're a happy people.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:06PM (Unverified) said
I would hate them forever. Oh wait, I already do.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:14PM (Unverified) said
Fuck Pachter. Such a negative nancy.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 10:21PM (Unverified) said
It's amazing anyone listens to this guy on TTWO. He couldn't have been more wrong about TTWO the stock in the last few years, and he continues to shoot his mouth off and get press for it. He advised people to short TTWO with a price target of $12 when it was at $16 a few months ago.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:34PM jake11 said
this sounds really bad. and i listen to Kenny G
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 9:53PM PhaseDMA said
You could drop GTA IV on the statistically worst day to sell video games and it would tear apart all existing records.
If it made financial sense to delay GTA IV until Q4 don't you think Take-Two would have when they delayed it until April 29?
2 months may be a long time, but 6 months seems much longer when your say "It's coming in a few weeks" and then suddenly delay it 5 more months.
If it made financial sense to delay GTA IV until Q4 don't you think Take-Two would have when they delayed it until April 29?
2 months may be a long time, but 6 months seems much longer when your say "It's coming in a few weeks" and then suddenly delay it 5 more months.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 10:12PM Giantenemycrab said
EA, do you want the entire gaming community to hate you? Then you better not delay GTA. I swear to God, if you delay GTA I will never touch an EA game again.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 10:34PM (Unverified) said
If GTA gets delayed it means I will actually go outside this summer.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 11:43PM (Unverified) said
Sorry if this double posted. Joystiq's comment system seems to be quirky again...
I have my copy prepaid at Game Crazy, the retailer that has beenhyping the hell out of the April 29th date being gauranteed. (Ads inall kinds of magazines with "mugshots of Game Crazy employeesgauranteeing a copy on April 29th) If they fail to come thru with mycopy, I am going to personally kick my local Game Crazy employee inthe balls. I've waited thru enough goddamned delays for this game.
I have my copy prepaid at Game Crazy, the retailer that has beenhyping the hell out of the April 29th date being gauranteed. (Ads inall kinds of magazines with "mugshots of Game Crazy employeesgauranteeing a copy on April 29th) If they fail to come thru with mycopy, I am going to personally kick my local Game Crazy employee inthe balls. I've waited thru enough goddamned delays for this game.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 10:24AM SoCoolCurt said
yea i preordered mine at Game Crazy last week. i put down for the Special Edition but ill probably bitch out of that, since i cant see paying $90 for one game no matter how great it's going to be.
but anyway, there will be some serious ball kicking at my local Game Crazy too if they delay it again, they have signs friggin everywhere about the 29th being the day. i think Patcher just has some kind of hate for TakeTwo for some reason cause he is always putting them out with the garbage with his negative predictions. forget Patcher, April 29th is a go.
Reply
but anyway, there will be some serious ball kicking at my local Game Crazy too if they delay it again, they have signs friggin everywhere about the 29th being the day. i think Patcher just has some kind of hate for TakeTwo for some reason cause he is always putting them out with the garbage with his negative predictions. forget Patcher, April 29th is a go.
Posted: Apr 6th 2008 11:44PM (Unverified) said
WTF? Now the comment system ran my words together.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 2:26AM adv2k169 said
this is really stupid.
Big franchise games will sell well regardless of when its released.
New Super Mario Brothers released in May and it still sold great.
Super Smash Brothers Brawl I think is near 2 million and it released in MARCH.
Halo 3 in September.
It doesn't MATTER.
If its some kiddy game or something attached to movie it will probably be best to delay it, for marketing reasons.
Big franchise games will sell well regardless of when its released.
New Super Mario Brothers released in May and it still sold great.
Super Smash Brothers Brawl I think is near 2 million and it released in MARCH.
Halo 3 in September.
It doesn't MATTER.
If its some kiddy game or something attached to movie it will probably be best to delay it, for marketing reasons.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 12:02AM (Unverified) said
I don't even care for GTAIV, but it would piss me off to no end to see this happen.
Oh and FU EA and Pachter
Oh and FU EA and Pachter
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 12:31AM (Unverified) said
EA
The reason we have a high chance of another videogame crash.
The reason we have a high chance of another videogame crash.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 1:24AM (Unverified) said
only delay will be for the ps3 lol
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 5:34AM Blinguskahn said
Let me first start out by saying I detest EA as both a developer and as a corporation. I have purchased 1 EA published game (Burnout Paradise) since 1998 when they announced that they would not support the Dreamcast because, in their opinion, it was not a viable platform. Regardless if they were correct or not on the DC issue, I was a hardcore Sega fan at the time and that really pissed me off enough to impose an EA boycott upon myself. Some people feel the same as me, some hate EA for the treatment of their employees and some people just don't like their games. Of course, EA does continue to sell plenty of software and own plenty of intellectual property as well as employ thousands of developers.
Now that's out of the way, these talks of the take over, a GTA 4 delay and such really get people going. EA is such a big name and when news about them taking over a developer who has made some of our favorite games breaks, people tend to get very emotional. What follows is big headlines, speculation and all types of opinions fyling every which way. I'd like to stick with the facts:
1. Lets say EA does acquire Take 2. They bury, burn and destroy franchises like NBA, NHL, MLB, College Hoops and All Pro Footbal "2K". It's possible that the Engines and technology will remain intact and become the new engines of all the "LIVE" series but there is no question that those franchises will never see the light of day again. Less competetion=less development push=lesser quality of sports games over time.
2. Popular franchises like Bioshock, Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, and Manhunt will all suffer. The reasons for this include, but are not limited to, development teams being split up, EA's treatments of their newly acquired employees, EA's development "rush" pushing for popular franchises to be released on a yearly schedule, etc.
3. Finally, this take over is NOT going to happen before GTA4 is released. Take 2's Board was just re-elected (the same board who rejected EA's $2 bil offer), they have taken preventative measures to avoid a hostile take over with a "poison pill" (look it up), and just approved a plan to release 2 Million reserve shares of its stock as well as getting key backing by ISS in order to help Take 2 fend off a hostile take over. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8767415?source=rss
Like many of the rest of you guys am praying this buyout/take over/merger NEVER happens. However, I think that someone will eventually buy Take 2, I just hope it's not EA.
Now that's out of the way, these talks of the take over, a GTA 4 delay and such really get people going. EA is such a big name and when news about them taking over a developer who has made some of our favorite games breaks, people tend to get very emotional. What follows is big headlines, speculation and all types of opinions fyling every which way. I'd like to stick with the facts:
1. Lets say EA does acquire Take 2. They bury, burn and destroy franchises like NBA, NHL, MLB, College Hoops and All Pro Footbal "2K". It's possible that the Engines and technology will remain intact and become the new engines of all the "LIVE" series but there is no question that those franchises will never see the light of day again. Less competetion=less development push=lesser quality of sports games over time.
2. Popular franchises like Bioshock, Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, and Manhunt will all suffer. The reasons for this include, but are not limited to, development teams being split up, EA's treatments of their newly acquired employees, EA's development "rush" pushing for popular franchises to be released on a yearly schedule, etc.
3. Finally, this take over is NOT going to happen before GTA4 is released. Take 2's Board was just re-elected (the same board who rejected EA's $2 bil offer), they have taken preventative measures to avoid a hostile take over with a "poison pill" (look it up), and just approved a plan to release 2 Million reserve shares of its stock as well as getting key backing by ISS in order to help Take 2 fend off a hostile take over. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8767415?source=rss
Like many of the rest of you guys am praying this buyout/take over/merger NEVER happens. However, I think that someone will eventually buy Take 2, I just hope it's not EA.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 7:28AM Gamerzworld said
Why do gaming sites take Patcher's crap predictions and the truth? Has it not been clear the guy just wants attention?
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 7:29AM Gamerzworld said
Eh, screwed up on a word:
Why do gaming sites take Patcher's crap predictions as the truth? Has it not been clear the guy just wants attention?
Fixed now.
Reply
Why do gaming sites take Patcher's crap predictions as the truth? Has it not been clear the guy just wants attention?
Fixed now.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 8:02AM 007craft said
patcher is an idiot. Even if the buout occured 2 months ago it would still release on schedual. The game is already 4 months late and no1 would ever stand for an un-needed additional 6 month delay. You cant delay a heavily anticipaticed game for 6 months and just let the finished product sit there and age to make holiday sales. Maybe if this were releasing in august or something they might delay it a month or 2, but not 6 months. Patcher needs to be fired.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 1:00PM MinimumWageNinja said
If those money hungry bastards get Take-Two, and did manage to delay GTA IV... I'd kill. I have the limited edition fully paid off and am counting the days.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 2:03PM (Unverified) said
You can be sure that Sony will not allow GTA to be delayed. The need a sure thing system seller. EA would be putting it's own head in vice.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 3:11PM ericdj said
This better not get delayed again. I preordered so damned long ago, now I have my vacation from work riding on this so I can play it for nine days.
Posted: Apr 7th 2008 3:12PM ericdj said
Its bad enough that Midnight Club LA got delayed already so they'd have an x-mas seller
Posted: Apr 23rd 2008 1:04AM (Unverified) said
Gamers need to ban together and boycott anything EA touches its the only way to stock them, for those who do not understand what I am talking about, south park put it into words you can understand.
Watch the walmart episode, same idea
and if its delayed, rambo will pale in comparison. GTA fan base is massive and the people at ea won't know what hit them. EA seems to think their the next Microsoft.
NOTE: Not only boycott but seed the hell out of their titles.
Watch the walmart episode, same idea
and if its delayed, rambo will pale in comparison. GTA fan base is massive and the people at ea won't know what hit them. EA seems to think their the next Microsoft.
NOTE: Not only boycott but seed the hell out of their titles.
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