<![CDATA[Kotaku: Strauss Zelnick]]> http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Strauss Zelnick]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/strauss zelnick http://kotaku.com/tag/strauss zelnick <![CDATA[We Haven't Seen the Last of Duke Nukem]]> If you thought Duke Nukem Forever was the last gasp for the '90s video game icon, well, what the hell were you thinking? Publisher Take-Two certainly isn't done with Duke, regardless of the reaction to his latest game. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5813876&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Not Every Game Has To Be Great. Good Games Are Just Fine.]]> Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick sums up everything wrong with the "blockbuster" video game industry in a single sentence. Via Gamasutra. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5780868&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Activist Investor Picks Up Another Million Shares of Take-Two]]> Carl Icahn, whose 11 percent ownership of Take-Two Interactive was by itself enough to restart buyout chatter, has grabbed another one million shares of the publisher according to a securities filing last week. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5462789&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Investor's Big Stake in Take-Two Reignites Buyout Chatter]]> The notorious investor Carl Icahn disclosed late this week he owns more than 11 percent of Take-Two's shares, a stake large enough to restart talk that the publisher faces a buyout. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5430469&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Grand Theft Auto Doesn't Need Annual Sequels, Says Take-Two]]> Annual iterations to reliable blockbuster games—like Call of Duty—would likely go a long way to improving Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive's bottom line. But execs for the publisher don't believe GTA is in need of annual sequels. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5418509&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Borderlands An "Important, Long-Term Franchise" For Take-Two]]> With developer Gearbox Software calling a Borderlands sequel a "no-brainer" and the title called out as one of the few bright spots on publisher Take-Two Interactive's earnings sheet, more talk of more Borderlands shouldn't surprise you. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5418424&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Pegs New BioShock, Max Payne, Red Dead For First Half Of 2010]]> Publisher Take-Two is going to have a very busy—and likely very profitable—beginning to 2010, with a quartet of top-tier releases all hitting in the first half of next year. That means BioShock 2, Max Payne 3 and more. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5350506&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Investment Blog Bashes Take-Two Boss Zelnick]]> Investor-written site Market Rap has gone all-out on Strauss Zelnick, boss of Take-Two, accusing him of lying, irresponsible leadership and pocketing extra cash while at the same time overseeing a decline in the company's share prices. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5319858&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[So How Much Did It Cost Take-Two To Fend Off EA's Advances?]]> Earlier this year, Electronic Arts were mad for Take-Two. Mad. Looked like a takeover was inevitable. Yet we enter 2009 with Take-Two an independent company. How the hell did that happen? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5115382&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Stock Market Says Nothankyou To Take-Two]]> Take-Two's financial results last quarter weren't the greatest. Sure, sales were up, but overall, money was down, and in business terms, money is what counts. Which explains why shareholders gave Take-Two a belting today. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5112964&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two: We're Cautiously Optimistic Too!]]> The world economy is going to shit, but the video game industry continues to thrive. But for how long? Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick hops on the "cautious optimism" bandwagon, saying "slightly down is the new up." More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5102094&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Is Take-Two Thinking of Subscription-Based GTA and BioShock?]]> During today's talk at the BMO Capital Market's conference, Take-Two head honcho Strauss Zelnick seemed very up on the idea of downloadable content, micro-transactions and even... subscriptions. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5085880&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GTA DLC and Chinatown Wars May Be Delayed]]> Both the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content coming to the Xbox 360 and the DS-based Chinatown Wars may be hitting later than expected, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick told a gathering at today's BMO Capital Markets 16th Annual Interactive Entertainment Conference in New York City. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5085645&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Chairman Now Men's Fitness Coverboy]]> Strauss Zelnick, executive chairman of the board of directors at Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive, is in good shape. Good enough shape to be on the cover of Men's Fitness magazine, anyway, as his ripped forearms and healthy pecs grace the cover of the November issue. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5066671&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Chairman: Quality Wins Out Over Shovelware]]> Never let it be said Take-Two aren't focused on quality. They don't have the packed release schedule of companies like EA or Activision, but pound-for-pound, their games are amongst the best-regarded in the business. A strategy chairman Strauss Zelnick is very keen on, telling VentureBeat that quality will always win out over quantity: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5027578&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Boss: 2K "Out-Rate" EA Sports]]> Speaking at the Piper Jaffray Consumer Conference, the square-Jawed and wonderfully-named Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick let rip on EA Sports, choosing his fight, and his words, super-carefully: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5015280&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Ponders Entering The Music Game Genre]]> Would Take-Two ever consider setting Rockstar loose on the music game genre? Last night, during Take-Two's Q1 financial results call, Board chairman Strauss Zelnick addressed an analyst who asked exactly that, "given Rockstar's nature." I guess he meant, "as rockstars"? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5014108&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Boss Claims GTA IV Is Glitch Free]]> Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive Chairman, may have enviable cheekbones and impressive compensation, but what he does not have is a grasp on the software issues surrounding Grand Theft Auto IV. With Xbox 360s and PlayStation 3s locking up during GTA IV play sessions, a twelve step "fix" from Rockstar Games support and a host of anecdotal solutions that aren't yet a cure-all, you might wonder where Strauss has been this past week. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387885&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Only Lost $38 Million Last Quarter, Seems Pleased]]> Take-Two Interactive had plenty to sing about today. There was the official word on BioShock 2, even more Carnival Games for little girls and boys to enjoy and a reaffirmation of Grand Theft Auto IV's worldwide ship date of April 29. Yay! Sure, there were some delays, but all in all, not bad. The best news? The company managed to only lose 38 million bucks in its first fiscal quarter of 2008! That's better than the Take-Two gang had expected, with Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two, saying he was "pleased." This is how you lose money, people—with a faint hint of a smile on your face. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=366703&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Real Reason Take-Two Rejected EA's Offer?]]> OK, bear with me. ZelnickMedia are an investment firm who were brought in to run Take-Two. Take-Two's executive chairman is a Mr. Strauss Zelnick, a member of ZelnickMedia's "executive parntership". EA have made two offers to buy Take-Two, one on February 6, one on February 19. Very shortly after receiving the first offer, and before they received the second offer (or told shareholders about it), Take-Two's board of directors and ZelnickMedia approved a "major increase in compensation" (ie a payrise) for Mr. Zelnick, along with CEO Ben Feder and executive VP Karl Slatoff (also ZelnickMedia members). Part of that deal included a hefty stocks payout for Zelnick, who received shares in the company that would either mature in time or - and here's the kicker - half of which would vest (ie pay out) immediately should the company be bought. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=361201&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Analyst "Convinced" That Take-Two Will Be Swallowed]]> Take-Two bigwig Strauss Zelnick may not be interested in selling the company to another buyer, but Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey says the publisher "will eventually be acquired at a meaningful premium to their current share price." Hickey values the Rockstar Games portfolio alone at about $1 billion, which doesn't even begin to cover the other big Take-Two intellectual properties—BioShock, Carnival Games, Civilization—all of which could make the company very attractive to buyers. Sure, it may involve a few headaches when Manhunt 3 kills some poor grandmother because it's just that dangerous, but you've gotta break a few eggs. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=336364&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[His Name Is Strauss Zelnick. It is Wonderful.]]> Take-Two? Not for sale. Back in March, current Chairman Strauss Zelnick led a group of investors in ousting the then Take-Two management. Strauss Zelnick has turned the company around! It's now efficient! Better yet, Strauss Zelnick is a super name! He's known for fixing up company companies and selling them off. This time is different. Strauss Zelnick explains: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=326700&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two Execs Explain GTA IV Delay]]> In a conference call with investors earlier today, Take-Two execs Strauss Zelnick and Ben Feder explained the company's decision to delay Grand Theft Auto IV for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360. Zelnick chalked up the Q2 2008 push back to "almost strictly technological problems... not problems, but challenges." They said they were "highly confident" that the game will ship within its new release window. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=285526&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Take-Two, AO Rating Has No Meaning]]> Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick doesn't mind an over 17, or even over 18 rating on Manhunt 2's cover. His average customer is in their 30s, so in his eyes, the game will sell fine no matter what the ESRB age limitations may be. His problem is with the logistics surrounding an adults-only rating.
The AO rating was not intended when it was developed to mean a non-rating. That wasn't the point. If you can't market it because you aren't allowed by the licensors or the retailers won't carry it, then the rating doesn't have any meaning. Clearly one has to discuss what its purpose is.
My issue with AO? It sounds like I'm buying porn. And I don't want to wear a trenchcoat and fedora every time I want to get my pretend murder fix. More »
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