Midnight Club: Los Angeles bumped a month to October 7th
Take-Two makes good with FTC
While stating it intends to cooperate fully, Take-Two noted that it would "appropriately limit the scope of its production of information and witnesses ... [We are] pleased that a resolution has been reached that should substantially reduce the economic burden on the Company and focus the inquiry in a way that should minimize the distraction to the Company's employees."
EA extends Take-Two offer to July 18

CAST LIST:
Lloyd Dobler - EA
Diane Court - Take-Two
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.]
EA's third deadline in Take-Two takeover passes tonight
Take-Two reported that EA only controlled 8% of the company's stock following the last deadline. We expect a press release from EA bright and early tomorrow morning about its next move and a response from Take-Two a little thereafter.
EA sued by gamers over football exclusivity
Additionally, the suit notes that should the EA-Take-Two acquisition come to fruition, it would "remove one of the few companies with the ability and expertise to compete in the market for interactive football software." The plaintiffs seek restitution for all those who purchased an EA football game after August 2005, "disgorgement of all profits made as a result of anticompetitive actions, and that the infringing agreements be declared null and void."
Ubisoft wants to up its game: be on par with EA, Activision Blizzard
With "bigger and better" becoming a mantra of sorts for modern game design, it seems only logical for the developers and publishers of our favorite blockbusters to expand their operations in tandem with their goals. Speaking to Develop, Ubisoft head of global development, Christine Burgess-Quémard, has said that the Tom Clancy and Prince of Persia publisher is always looking to widen its worldwide business.
"We want to continue our strategy of innovation, and in order to do that, we need to have more people and generate more business," she explained. "Every blockbuster we work on, we invest in new studios, new teams and new projects." As for measuring up to rival monoliths, EA and Activision Blizzard, Burgess-Quémard states that Ubisoft (or is that Take-Twobisoft?) won't be caught resting on its laurels. "We are in the race, definitely – and we're not in it to come last."
Now, please remember the other half of the aforementioned mantra, Ubi. Bigger and better. We could certainly do with fewer giant corporations pumping pollution into our virtual environments.
EA: Nobody 'better suited' to do Alpha Centauri II than Meier
Meier has been quite diplomatic about the possible acquisition of Firaxis' parent-company, Take-Two, by EA. Our "glass is half full" view on the issue is that although EA hasn't done anything with the Alpha Centauri license in almost ten years, nothing horrible has happened to it either.
Forbes details Take-Two's EA alternative: Ubisoft
Forbes puts the partnership pieces together, arriving at either Activision or Ubisoft. Considering Activision is sorta busy with its own mega-merger, that leaves little ol' Ubisoft. Of course, by "little" and "old" we really mean "big" and "rich" – the publisher apparently has a $1.2 billlion acquisition war chest which still won't get them close to the price Take-Two is holding out for.
So, perhaps a partnership (which we'll immediately begin calling Take-Twobisoft) if not an outright acquisition? There's plenty of delicious corporate synergy to go around, what with Take-Two's stable of strong IPs and Ubisoft's total lack of a sports division. Oh, and remember back when EA couldn't keep its eyes off of Ubisoft? It actually controls close to 25% of the voting shares in the French publisher, making any outside partnership increasingly sticky. The drama!
Pachter: EA will raise Take-Two bid, it'll get rejected, merger will still happen
Pachter expects EA wants this deal done before this holiday, but that Take-Two management has an incentive to wait until after April 1, 2009, due to some stock finagling (remember, in the end, this is all about money). When all is said and done, though, Pachter believes EA will acquire Take-Two. He expects once EA walks away from the table after the next rejection, and it proves there are no other bidders salivating for Take-Two, that all parties will meet again and work something out.
Take-Two: 'Portfolio balancing' drove GTA IV DLC delay, partnerships possible

Regarding the company's resolution to keep the GTA IV downloadable content out of players' hands until sometime between November 1 of this year and January 31, 2009, Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick calmly stated that the decision was based on "portfolio balancing," and that the delay was "not based on development issues." Even as our hearts ached for additional Liberty City shenanigans, Take-Two reps on the call remained enthusiastic, and for good reason, given that during the last quarter the GTA brand made up an impressive 78% of the firm's total publishing revenue.
Continue reading Take-Two: 'Portfolio balancing' drove GTA IV DLC delay, partnerships possible
BioShock movie may be out in time for BioShock 3

Additionally, while no specific details were shed on what we can expect from the movie, Take Two certainly appears to be taking a somewhat hands-off approach to the project. Zelnick commented that while the company "feels it is something that could be beneficial," Take Two has "structured the deal so we have no economic structure or risk."
Take-Two quarterly revenues up 163% on GTA IV sales
Quarterly revenues were up a staggering 163% year over year, from $205.4 million to $539.8 million, mainly on the strength of Grand Theft Auto IV (and not on the strength of titles like Go Diego Go! Safari Rescue). These revenues were enough to turn a loss of $29.2 million during last year's second quarter into a profit of nearly $115.4 million during this year. The company's coffers have ballooned to include nearly $1.1 billion in assets, up from $830 million at the end of the last fiscal year in October.
The report also reveals that 2008 might finally be the year that the PS2 finally starts its slow decline, at least from Take-Two's perspective. At this time last year, 37% of Take Two's revenues (a plurality) came from PS2 games. This year, that ratio is down to 10%, while the Xbox 360 and PS3 shot up to 41% and 31% of revenues, respectively. The company only has one PS2 game listed on tap for the rest of the year: MLB Power Pros 2008.
GTA IV ships over 11 million copies
Take-Two further puffed out its financial chest this afternoon concerning the high profile title, boasting that GTAIV surpassed all-time entertainment records for day one and week one sales, selling about 6 million units worldwide and filling company wallets with more than $500 million in its debut week.
BioShock ships over 2.2 million
It's clear that with this news, Take-Two's gearing up for BioShock mania. Combine strong sales with the recent announcement of BioShock on PS3, news of the Verbinski-directed BioShock film, and the inevitable BioShock 2 announcement from 2K Marin, and we're on the cusp of the next big franchise in gaming. Good thing or bad thing?
Grand Theft Auto IV DLC delayed until Fiscal Q1 2009
The reason behind the delay, according to Take-Two, was to "provide a better balance in Take-Two's release schedule." The statement specifically mentioned Xbox 360, with no talk of content for the PS3.




























