EA extends Take-Two offer to July 18

by Justin McElroy { Jun 17th 2008 at 9:05AM }

CAST LIST:
Lloyd Dobler - EA
Diane Court - Take-Two

DIANE: Just go home, Lloyd!
LLOYD: I can't! I've been standing out here with this boom box over my head since March 13!
DIANE: And you look ridiculous. The batteries died in mid-April, which is ironically when you first told me you would give up if I didn't come out.
LLOYD: Right, but then--
DIANE: Oh, I remember Lloyd. Then you said "I'm only going to wait out here until April 18th, then I'm gone!" and then, do you remember what happened on April 18th Lloyd?
LLOYD: ... I told you I was only going to wait until May 16, then I was gone ...
DIANE: Right, and on May 16?
LLOYD: ... I told you June 16.
DIANE: Exactly. Well, Lloyd, that was last night, so what are you still doing here?
LLOYD: OK, I've thought this through, and I'm only going to give you until July 18 and then --
DIANE: Let me guess, you're gone.
LLOYD: ...Yeah.
DIANE: [slams window]
LLOYD: Hey, can you bring me out some ice for my arms?

[Update: Diane just responded, and she still ain't coming out.]

Tags: ea, ea-take-two, take-two

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

nick @ Jun 17th 2008 9:20AM

Desperation.

EA just doesn't know when to give up. I still believe that Take Two can do better with anyone else.

It's over. Stop calling. Don't be a stalker.

kbomb1upc @ Jun 17th 2008 9:43AM

*starts the slow clap for McElory*

Shmil @ Jun 17th 2008 10:10AM

*clap*

DangerMouse @ Jun 17th 2008 11:57AM

*silent cheer*

Jomolungma @ Jun 17th 2008 9:44AM

Someone with a lot more brains than me is going to have to explain the strategy behind this. I don't follow these kinds of things closely, but I can't recall ever hearing of a company renewing their offer for another company so many times without at least one break between offers. Why doesn't EA just break it off and then renew their offer at a later date? This just makes them seem like complete idiots.

copa @ Jun 17th 2008 10:27AM

"Someone with a lot more brains than me is going to have to explain the strategy behind this."

That would be me, Jomolungma. Hi, I'm John Riccitiello! You may remember me from TV miniseries like "Look Ma, No Competition! The John Madden story." and "Lots Of Waggle, No Sales: The Making of Boogie."

We holed up with our exec team and tried to figure out why Take-Two wouldn't accept our offer at below market price.

We watched that episode of The Office where Dwight gets Andy to sell his car at a low price by saying, "This offer is going away in 3... 2... 1..." So we tried the same thing. Twice.

Fortunately, we've got a crack team of MBA's here, and they have already figured out the next step. We're going to lower our asking price further and be really annoying, and tell Take-Two that the offer is REALLY going away this time if they don't accept it.

Yup, that's why I pull down seven-figures in salaries and bonuses and you don't make crap, Jomolungma.

dark_inchworm @ Jun 17th 2008 9:44AM

I come back from Bonnaroo only to find this.

Fuck this.

Cornelius @ Jun 17th 2008 9:45AM

"[Update: Diane just responded, and she still ain't coming out.]"

Good for Diane- er, Take-Two. EA is getting awfully desperate to gobble up all of its competitors. I know I'm not the only one here that thinks EA will cause another video game crash.

Pureshooter @ Jun 17th 2008 10:14AM

The way inflation is going, their offer is actually less now than it was when they started.

Kye - M-Kart Wii 0817-4620-2062 @ Jun 17th 2008 10:27AM

Knowing EA this could go on for years;

The Offer '08.
Madden, I mean; The Takeover '09.
The Bid 2010.

Kye - M-Kart Wii 0817-4620-2062 @ Jun 17th 2008 10:28AM

*On release of the 2010 edition, server support for the 2008 version will end*

Darren @ Jun 17th 2008 11:13AM

manchester utd just made a complaint to fifa for real madrid trying to unsettle christiano ronaldo by continually badgering him and putting rubbish reports in the papers.
this somewhat reminds me of what EA are doing to take2, if you bug someone long enough, and report about it long enough, your going to get:
1. loads of publicity
2. what you want
both of which any large company would like to have.
couldnt take2 get a court injuction against EA?

Vcize @ Jun 17th 2008 11:42AM

Wait, are you talking about women's basketball?

gnawkz @ Jun 17th 2008 11:31AM

EA’s bid extension was actually expected. FTC’s request for more information and Take 2’s un-willingness to comply sorta of foretold this.

It makes no sense for EA to raise the bid unless the FTC has given it the full blessing. EA is not going to walk as extending the bid 4 times means it DESPERATLY wants Take 2.

If EA raise the bid now … and the FTC says no, wasted effort. So therefore it only makes logical sense to wait, until the government finally gets around to finishing the review.