Oi, this is a rather interesting turn of events.

wow.....

Looks like EA underhand attempts at buying there last major competition on the sports games market is in full swing.

gonad's and strife

Video games - just in case we forget what the company does in the midst of all this corporate BULLSHIT!

PLCs, huh! What are they good for? Absolutely NOTHIN'!

Woo, golden parachutes ftw

gonad's and strife

oh and it seems like this is a killer move for EA. make a offer it gets rejected, price of TT shares rise to that price. Stock dump and lawsuit changes price possibly lower then it was to offer and you re-make a offer lower but not too lower then the initial offer and get TT cheaper

Sigh. Guess it's just a matter of time now.

Argh. I really hate/don't have any sympathy over some people arguing over people making more money than I'll ever see.

WE ARE EA. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

i guess this is kind of like a girl holding out so she makes you think she's even more worth the effort. and by that i mean, WRONG!!! Sue those prudes at Take 2 until they learn to put out.

It seems that if there's even a hint that a lawsuit might happen... it will. I don't know enough about what's going on to intelligently comment about the validity but I personally think GTA will do amazing things for the Take Two and it seems like a really good bet to wait and see rather then bending to EA's offer.

I wish my interests, and the consumer's weren't clearly in opposition to the shareholders.
I don't think EA is an 'evil' company any more than others, and they do have plenty of good games, but just as a winner in the console war serves me no good as a gamer/consumer, a dominant software publisher isn't going to be fighting for new innovation when they don't have to.
Not even planning to get GTA4 or any sports games but this is sad.

I don't know if EA had planned this or seen it coming. Otherwise, that one disgusting move on EA's half. And for god damn sakes, can GTAIV come out before they go under...jeez.

I hate you EA, sad to say this and EA was always my favorite back in my Sega days lol.

All you guys saying this is EA doing something wrong, Look at that jump from 3.8 to 16.5 Million in bonuses in case the company gets sold right after they reject EA.

Whether or not EA is pushing this suit or the stock dumping, that little executive cash grab is an underhanded move that will hurt the company and the shareholders if it is bought. It's completely right that a shareholder should sue for something like this, and I hope ZelnickMedia gets punished for it.

EA is the one behind this. I'm surprised Crecente didn't post the quote by the EA executive at the end of the article.

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"If Strauss Zelnick keeps telling people he's a Boy Scout, someone should ask him what merit badge he expects to get for this," said Jeff Brown, a spokesman for Redwood City, Calif.-based EA.
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I mean does EA have no shame.

If GTA 4 gets out the door before any monkey business besides JT happens, I would be happy. (JT always, no point in stopping it, he's kinda like team rocket in pokemon, we entertain his foolishness because we love to have an enemy we can poke and prod without getting bitten)

It all boils down to greed, doesn't it? Little mister Solomon doesn't get what he wants so he up and sues them. What a sordid state our culture is in.

@ban_hammer: I would argue that EA cares way less about GTA IV in comparison to how much they want to rid the world of the 2K Sports series. Imagine the long term sales impact of EA Sports being the only choice for sports games. They'll make that acquisition $$ back in 5 years. Tops.

'Whom'

it's "whom"

@dsmx: Yeah. Remember when sports games were good and not the exact same game only a little bit less fun each year? The same is gonna happen with GTA. 8 subpar sequels in the next 4 years.

@BambooCactus: Absolutely, they're all as bad as each other.

This is the problem with trading games companies on the stock market! They should stay independent & privately owned. I really hope we see more services like Steam (digital distribution) so that publishers can be rendered irrelevant and INDEPDENDENT companies can focus on making the games they want to make and not be beholden to any corporate agenda decided by money grabbing shareholders and their executive puppets.

LEAVE TAKE-TWO ALONE.
*sniff sniff*

I hope if the buyout ever occurs that the 2k sports team leaves the company and forms their own studio

NBA 2k should live on. DAMN

Sounds like they planned to sell to EA all along. They just wanted to say no publicaly and try to drive up the price. But if EA or execs of EA are the ones buying out the stock, they won't have to shell out as much for the actual takeover. Interesting indeed.....

Bleh, this worries me. What does all this mean for the GTA franchise? Will it be safe if something bad happens?!

Business Judgment Rule FTW! This lawsuit will only result in payment to the attorneys handling it (lucky bastards).

@FadedEchos: This suit has no grounds whatsoever unless Take Two decides to sell at the same price or at a lower price in the future. Until then, Zelnick and co. are not benefiting whatsoever from their sale bonuses.

All this does is ensure that EA must make a greater bid for the company. And, if they do, Zelnick did what was in the best interests of the company be declining the first offer.

Cue Tack Jhompson in 5...

so what you are saying is that NOW is the perfect time to throw all my life savings into take-two stock.

I think there's still room for this to get dirtier.

@Mr.SithNinja: Then why is TT White knighing the hell out of it's business. Artificially raising it's stock prices, improving it's worker's bailout packages, ect.

They are actively fighting it with every manner they can. They don't want to be bought out.

And fricken Shareholders want them because it means they see a nice payout on there stocks. For once, it isn't about they money, it is about the games, and Everyone is failing to realize it

take two had it coming. they should never have made that ping pong game for wii. big misstake. ea dont like competition.

I don't understand all this corporate mumbo-jumbo.
Aren't the shareholders HAPPY their company is making great games on their own without E 'No-Innovation' A breathing down their neck?
Oww, I get it, this is a money thing. Silly me.

@Quilt:
I agree, I think it will get a LOT dirtier before it's finished.

Does anyone have any speculation on this guy's chances of winning?

This industry needs fewer people like Zelnick. The faster we can get rid of him, the better.

There is another hidden force behind this.

I wouldn't be surprised if EA paid off some bribery to fan the fire.

It won't be long before EA comes to the rescue, very strategically planned. You heard it here first.

@Chainrxn: Where are you getting that they would have to sell at the same price or lower for Zelnick to benefit?

Sounds like Take 2 execs are partaking of some shady business practices.

Yes, Take Two is doomed to being destroyed by EA, just as any other company that dares to be successful will be so long as EA exists. But the same basic concept is not unfamiliar... EA will eat and eat until there is nothing left to breed. Third party innovation will die and those companies that rely on it will starve.

Eventually people will stop buying the shitty games, and all whose money is tied to their success will die a pathetic death. Only those who are self sufficient and have a history of bowing to no one will survive.

And the only company that really matches that description already lived through one mass extinction, and single handedly rebuilt the world in which it exists. They will do it again if EA continues their destruction. No one wants to see the reset button pressed and all our progress lost, but everyone knows exactly what boot screen will be welcoming us back.

@testmunky: Zelnick benefits when the company is sold, at least to my understanding, no matter what the price is. However, it only looks inappropriate if they decline an offer only to take the same offer (or less) after their compensation package was increased.

@Chainrxn: Ahh I misunderstood what you were saying. Although, I think the big issue here is timing, as the board voted on the acquisition compensation when there was already an offer on the table. Whether or not this suit has any legal standing I don't know.

This is what you get for being greedy Mr. Zelnick

You can be sued for not selling your company? Oh my...

EA's playing mind games now