brentondig

HozrPrime

Secondly, your EA points are pretty good and you'll not I have not exhibited the knee-jerk panic.

I reserve that for Microsoft.

SSJPabs

The Amazing Exploding-Man

B_Real

illegalprelude

Campion of Drymouth

reptile168

BlackIceJoe

baccardi84

Vyse

1) Game quality
EA makes some bad games, some mediocre games, and some good games, just like most companies that make games.

2) EA is So Mean!
EA has internal employee issues, just like any company of their size. Some they fix right away, some they grudgingly acknowledge, some they mess up -- again, not unique.

3a) Yearly sports titles
Madden, NHL, FIFA, etc., are not emblematic of EA being "lazy". Hardcore sports fans want a new version every year, which mirrors there being a new season every year. Casual fans who don't want it every year don't buy it every year.

3b) Believe me, if yearly re-releases of a core product with mostly-minor upgrades that millions of people buy the moment it's released is a "problem", it's one that every other company on earth would kill to be afflicted with. Other companies aren't avoiding it out of principle, ARE THEY, 2K SPORTS?

3c) When EA sticks with the basic, proven formula (like with the sports titles) complainers complains. When they change things (like with Burnout Paradise) complainers complain. This says less about EA than it does about the internet.

4a) Oh noes, it's like a monopoly!
No, it's not. It's a big corporate takeover. When the government seizes the assets of all the other games companies, gives them to EA, and makes it illegal for anyone new to make and sell games, then we'll talk.

4b) Is EA getting too big/already too big? Maybe; if so, this strategy won't work very well.

5) Hail Eris!

6) Hear comz yeerly GTA lol!
As a maniacal GTA fan who has the special edition on pre-order, I can say that the worst thing in the world I could possibly imagine would be a continuous flow of new GTA material. Yuck, ptooie, that would be worse than a kiss from a girl.

7a) EA will ruin GTA
Maybe. That's the future, so we don't really know. A lot of people think GTA was ruined in San Andreas. Some say it was ruined with GTA3. Subjective cat is subjective.

7b) EA will neuter GTA
Why, to bring the most anticipated title of any year it's released mainstream?

7c) EA can't politically manage GTA
Hot Coffee vs Mass Effect. You be the judge.

8a) Boycott EA!
So, you're on Linux than, Ralph Nader? Pass me an RC Cola!

8b) I hate EA!
You radical iconoclast, you.

9) Wii/Mobile/etc.
A problem why? If we're lucky they'll rip off the Fable idea and have outboard minigames you can play to affect your situation in the main game. Or they'll decide it's not an extendable franchise. Or they'll leave it to the developing studio to work out.

10) Dollar-chasing shareholders are destroying western society
Agreed.

Of course EA is committing an aggressive act toward consolidating money and control in the industry. That's what the major players in every industry do. This is a business move, and the accountants responsible for it don't care about GTA as a game any more than the accountants at Activision and Blizzard cared about Guitar Hero or WoW.

The rumor had been around for months. If the deal happens, it'll probably suck for 2K Sports. Maybe GTA will suffer too. And personally I don't have any idea if it makes real sense from a business standpoint. But it's like blaming the scorpion for stinging the frog.

Anyway, if it does go through, my stock value will increase and I'll be getting my staff discount on future installments. :D

Campion of Drymouth

theherlihyboy

baccardi84

I love Take 2, EA ..not so much.

Kamizzle

Schadenfreude 2.0

though the loss of 2K Sports might be too much.. =(

Returners

MugiMugi

While I'll agree that having financial backing is a big help to any relatively small company, I think that EA is off the mark when it comes to helping the launch. The console companies (Microsoft especially) will be doing everything that they can to let people know about the title. This way, thely both sell more consoles. That's just good business.

In a nut shell, what I see here is EA getting pissed off at T2 for not accepting their offer. It's as if they were to say, "How dare you not accept our $$$$$."

dzimpact

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

Spartan1308™

Hi John Riccitiello, we've read your reasoning. No elaboration is necessary. Thanks. :P

Pugs

bluesquareapple

What you buy If you buy other studios?

Tei

They are under so much pressure by fanatics saying their properties are murder sims and such, that EA would be the company with the money to fight back against it legally.

So what if they are a mega-corporation? how many non sports titles have turned to garbage after being bought by EA?

Rock band was a phenominal game, and it is because it was developed by the Harmonix team, and put out by EA.....GASP.

Jypsy

Key words: unsolicited and take advantage. Basically EA was trying to rape Take 2. Good for them, though I doubt they will make more money from sales than from this offer.

Sonic_and_Tails

Ok I am good now.

mcx

Take-Two's Board of Directors has thoroughly reviewed EA's unsolicited proposal with the assistance of its independent financial and legal advisors and concluded that the proposal is inadequate in multiple respects and not in the best interests of Take-Two's stockholders.

Draconis

Come one,seriously. EA, your begging for a monopoly anti-trust lawsuit here

huginn

KaneRobot

Ashkihyena

Staying at EA is the safe bet, you don't have to worry about money, you just have to worry about doing your job, making the damn game.

Spenze

crackp1pe

"If they really think EA is so bad, they always have the option of leaving the company and starting a new one."

Oh yeah, well that's just [i]swell[/i] for them isn't it. Starting a new company and making sure it survives is a MONUMENTAL task.

Pugs

Jomi294

Candlejack

Frankly MS should of bought Bizzare and Bioware before EA and Activision got them.

zonetrooper5

For the developers? It's great news, take 2 hasn't been in the best of shape as a publisher these past few years. When publishers have problems, it means slower approval processes on milestones and stingier funding/negotiating. Something that EA never has problems with.

If they really think EA is so bad, they always have the option of leaving the company and starting a new one. These companies are based off of people and said people's potential ideas, neither of which can be owned. There's dozens of smaller game companies all around Vancouver founded by ex-EA employees.

Spenze

coladict

invictus2006

b1t0

Why are you giving them an inch? Yes, they are capable of producing good games and all their talk about being more 'hands off' with the companies they absorb is encouraging. But at the end of the day, we can only take their word for it and there's nothing to stop them from changing their minds because they have all the control.

Takeovers are bad, mmmkay! Let's just leave it at that.

Pugs

We'll be seeing you.

Yonderboy

@erac3rx: You can't really make a direct comparison based on that. The value of Yahoo has nothing to do with their current operating profit, on the other hand Take 2's value is almost entirely based on their profit. Also, Take 2 isn't going to make a $500 million profit from GTA IV any time soon. First of all they'd have to sell something like 20 million units in order to hit $500 million in earnings (they make around half of the actual retail sale, maybe a little less). That may happen eventually, but certainly not in this quarter. And even given that, taking into account all the marketing/production costs and it won't be an incredibly huge profit.

darthmole12

nevergod

My guess is that T2 stock will go up at least 20-25% on strong GTA IV sales, and the substantial profits from DLC that begin at that time mean that moving forward the firm will be earning more cash flow and higher margins. That bump in stock price eats away much of the premium that EA is offering.

My point on the comparison to Yahoo still stands. T2 will make about 25% of what Yahoo made in 2007 in 2008, and the apparent market value of Yahoo is $44bn.

crackp1pe

kolani

From Take 2's point (from what I've mostly seen), they're generally a one trick pony with room for diversity within that one trick. That of course being Rockstar with their not-intended-for-children games such as Manhunt, Bully, and Grand Theft Auto. Of course they also play host to the RAGE Engine, to which it's first game was a competitive ping pong something or other for the 360. Take 2 is also home to the 2k line of sport titles, which is drastically limited to whatever EA doesn't have exclusive licenses to. And let's not forget titles such as Bioshock and The Darkness, however I don't think those are really the reasons why EA wants T2 (Judgment Day).

Let's face facts, GTA IV is going to bank more than Madden 09. Speaking of which, EA would also be getting whatever 2K Sports has for licenses, which would make them even more a monopoly in terms of sports games. The last time Madden actually had another NFL game to face (NFL 2K5), it was the lesser due to both game play and price (even though most of the idiots I've talked to only acknowledge the price angle, because they take whatever brightly decorated crap is shoveled to them). Given how Madden is the only thing EA can really call their own that pulls anything in for the company (all the other stuff was bought and you know it), it really puts them on the "please sir, may I have another" side of things.

As for what take a number, er... Take 2 would get out of the whole deal, more or less nothing the way I see it. Perhaps my understanding's flawed, but paying a company for it to become part of your collective body mass would generally be paying yourself once the deal is done. The only assistance EA might give would be pimping GTA on various media outlets, placing the game into other EA products, and maybe buying out the small town of Springfilled for GTA Day.

Overall, I hope this tactic fails and Take 2 becomes another publisher beyond EA's grasp, kinda like Ubisoft but without having Far Cry: Vengeance in it's library.

bugashi

Wellhereweare

rebelphoenix

I guess I just don't buy this whole "Reformed-Axe-Murderer" schtick they have going on recently.

I swear I saw Peter Moore Mouth "Help me" to the camera in a recent interview.

TokeYo

Acute Gamer

Back when NFL 2K3 and all that was around, I hated Madden. But that's purely based on the style of the gameplay, not becuase EA were bad devs. If anything i still contend this deal would merge the two brands of football and sports together in a way to create a more well-balanced and cohesive product.

And I think I'm supporting EA only because a) Bioware is my secret lover, and b) I love being a devil's advocate. The monopoly shit still pisses me off though

Sonic_and_Tails

Willows

The value of the stock is a valuation of the potential profit, assets (including equipment, personnel and immaterials such as bands) minus debt and costs. If Take Two sold 500, or 600, or 1 billion copies, the value of the stock would necessarily move up as the company would be worth that much more, unless they have a matching amount of money worth of debt or costs.

If they sold a million copies and didn't owe a million copies worth of revenue, they would still very much be in business, the logics or plausibility of the 0 scenario being completely subject and ridiculous to begin with.

The stock will probably raise to the just under the offered price regardless, just like Yahoo did, as, if the sale goes through (and depending on how intent on it going through EA is) buying at anything under the offered price would be profit.

There is also the possibility of say, Capcom or Sony or even MS making a White knight bid, as just the value of the GTA franchise and Bioshock might make it worth it.

Seiryuu

SAGA

FP_slomo788

What EA is finally realizing now that making a quality product and making money are not mutually exclusive. EA produced a number of quality games, and published a number more last year.

Look at the titles EA black box released last year, both skate and burnout paradise. Redwood released the long awaited C&C 3, and is now working on red alert 3. What was formerly maxis is getting all the funding they could ever want to create spore. While bioware's work structure has been left completely untouched so that they can continue to produce quality games at the same pace they always have.

Just because the company releases yearly updates to sports titles (wich allot of people must love because they sell like hotcakes) doesnt mean it doesnt produce and publish some great titles. I know over the past 2 years I've probably spent more time playing EA games than any other.

Spenze

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

Seven Is Darker

They are bigger than EA and everything you can say about competitiveness applies to Vivendi too.

SSJPabs

Arkley

And about the 2K sports thing. I agree, the lack of competition is not a good thing. But still, it may have the Madden name or whatever the respective sports title is, but the two devs are likely to combine and have some cross-over of ideas and development. So EA will get better devs and creativity and create a better game overall. Or that's the dream at least...

I will say, I am a massive free market guy, and I hate the lack of competition, but when the hell is the government going to wake up and notice the massive conglomeration of gaming companies that are so blatantly monopolies?

Sonic_and_Tails

unmarkedone

plus, what does this mean for sorts games in general, as it stands, 2k sports were one of the few legit competitors to EA's sports development team, and what the their sports licenses?

meltyman

DigitalHero

I like how EA makes it puclic to the stockholders in hopes of the stock dropping and in turn causing Take 2 to rethink their decision.

I don't even play GTA and this bothers me. All cash? Jeeze.

Aflack: Likes slushies

I don't know where it all ends up but something has to give eventually.

mva5580

Walker

Grind_Axis

AuraHACK

Psywar

HoboGamer

On the stockmarket = up shit's creek.

I hope EA implodes.

Pugs

Can Microsoft AFFORD to buy EA?!
Those would be some feckin huge numbers...

CanaryWundaboy

chronubis

teknomcr

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

DCPlayaPride

Zensation

ggodo

SweetHavok

KiySeph

hungry_for_worms

kuzuboshii

I've got no love for EA, but Activision is larger; Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are producing the hardware, so where is the monopoly?

aka Bitter

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

acez2087

Brian Crecente

Brian Crecente

CONFUSEDgam3r

My point, $2 billion grossly undervalues expected future cash flows for Take 2. A point of contrast, Microsoft is bidding $44bn for Yahoo, who made ~$700 million in operating profit last year. Now consider T2 making about 500 million on GTA 4. Granted they have dev costs and distribution costs to subtract from that, but regadless they're making several hundred million in profit in 2008. Even if it's only $200-300m that's still almost half of what Yahoo made last year, and MSFT is offring $44B for that.

crackp1pe

Luv2Hate

chinesedentist

If they aren't, i vote yes.

K-Squad! (Badass Edition)

Frogboy12

Gergeg

The worst thing is, if the whole independent games thing does not work out for me, my fall back plan was to get back into the industry. But by the time I may be looking for a job, there might not be any companies left to work for.

kuzuboshii

Of course this acquisition would be approved.

PaulHunter

Papa Midnight

Gray665

Most Wanted

GOD

corranthrn

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

Tigerfog

EA: "Am I doin it rite?"

T6Spades

zany_ninja

[uk.finance.yahoo.com]

SPni

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

FP Bleentastic has cake

Anyways, Take Two, dont be stupid, you know EA is the shittiest publisher yet

why not let Capcom buy you? I think they publish GTA in Japan.

EA is a gaming whore. GTA5 confirmed for Wii, PSP, DS, 360, PS3, PS2, GB, and virtual boy.

White-Sharingan

argh

GameJerk

MasterOfPastures

Lezard

kuzuboshii

ghnvt

crunks

TheCleaningGuy is no longer (that) disappointed with DMC4

Truepatriot

Dear Take2 Share holder,

Whilst you are swimming in your vast lakes of cash that EA gave you (ala Scrooge Mc Duck) Could you please pause for a moment, and think about all the fine games that EA are now going to screw up!

Regards

Father ColdCuts Lv. 30 Priest

P.S. Can I borrow some money? I don't think you will miss a little bit.

GOD

Seriously, what the hell. There needs to be regulation in place to stop things like this from happening.

I think it's a good time to boycott EA (for all the good it'll do). Plz take your dirty Madden hands off actually decent developers.

First Bioware and then this, and also the Epic rumors, I guess game development in the West is meant to tank in record time.

Hello yearly serialized updated rooster garbage.

Seiryuu

Casemarqui

plus, it's only ten shares out of the 1,670,000.

I love many of the games that 2K releases. I've been hoping for years to see a true successor to NFL 2K5.
I love Bioshock and Grand Theft Auto, but I don't believe that EA is going to kill these franchises or their parent companies. I think EA learned their lesson about that back in the 90's with Origin and Bullfrog.

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

Would you kill 2K Sports?
Any integration starts with our respect for the teams and people that make great games. Beyond that, it's too early to discuss plans for managing Take-Two."

I LOVE how their answer to the first question is no, and their answer to the second question is "it's too early to answer questions", aka, yes. Fuck EA, and their corporate bullshit. This is why I hate EA, not because of their games, but because of the way they do business. They obviously intend to kill any 2k franchises that conflict with their own, especially the 2k sports lineup.

It's not about the quality of the games they are producing right now, people. It's about where it is you want the game business to head going into the future. And having "EA" stamped on every game because no other developers could possible match the "scale" of EA and thus had to merge or die, is NOT the future I envision for games.

I don't want games to suffer the same fate as movies did, but sadly, it looks like history will repeat itself. People are just too damned greedy for it not to.

What a shame.

kuzuboshii

scottyboy218

Greeeeat.

MykalBloom

The Dreamcast will rise again!

No, seriously, that would suck, too.

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

haracas

Scuba Steve

Stupid lack of kotaku edit button...

SPni

kuzuboshii

geoffcbassett

ZeroAX

The Vampire Raziel

GOD

jack-tha-reaper

The Vampire Raziel

GOD

Do you intend to kill or restrict any of the R* franchises?
We strongly believe that behind all the controversy is a core of great intellectual property and development talent. These titles don't sell millions because they're controversial; they sell because they're great games. We have no plans to change that.

Would you kill 2K Sports?
Any integration starts with our respect for the teams and people that make great games. Beyond that, it's too early to discuss plans for managing Take-Two.

Peryite

zymase

Smadubaku

photoboy

KuromanKuro Live and PSN

FP_slomo788

someguyxvii

diablodevil2

GOD

As to what it means for the industry as a whole, I think it's an inevitability. Looks more and more like we'll have a 2 way war for the third party devs with EA and Activison/Blizzard. Of course there will always be the first party devs, but damn, this means exclusives are going to become harder and harder to come by.

I don't think EA is as evil as everyone says, looking at some of their latest moves. Giving away the free game for the Rock Band debacle, and the amazing deal that was the Orange Box? Good shit. There is no way they will have Pandemic and Bioware whipped on leashes, and I doubt Take 2 would be strangles too. I for one certianly don't see GTA every year, at all. Maybe I'm being naiive, but I think everyone is flipping out about EA.

Unless I'm mistaken, Valve has done damn well under EA. Can anyone dispute that?

Sonic_and_Tails

cavanaugh

EA are as bad as the used to be.

SPni

AMEN

GOD

Who will buy who first? EA, or Activision?

Peryite

opt2not

diablodevil2

That's some crazy figures there. $25 per share? Jeebus. Don't do it T2! Go for $30/share! Milk EA for all they've got!
Either than or join the "not-as-evil-empire"...Activision/Blizzard!

opt2not

Saint Anima

RonJeremy4Pres

Anything Activision can do EA can do better!!!

Swap around the names if you whant..

(The views in this comment do not represent the views of Father ColdCuts Lv. 30 Priest, Activision, E.A. or my milk man Dave)

GOD

Icharius

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

This wouldn't be approved by whoever regulates these things - it would be too much of a monopoly. Spilling the beans of this takeover to the shareholders is a cutthroat tactic. EA wants the company because it's a legitimate competitor.

I hope they don't end up buying them.

Dave Silva

Jeez. Read my past comments. You'll see I'm not the type.

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

hamandcheeseUK

-EDGE-

Samos42

Bring on the cold war between EA and Activision Blizzard!

Jekht

Ken Hikari

FP_slomo788

Soon they will own all the biggest 3rd party titles. Then when the time is right, EA will release a console into the market, and make all their games exclusive to it...making them unstoppable in the console wars!

Or maybe not...

romBox

Eddy666

Arkley

Demonbird

Ea has done away with that policy against Mature titles.
But, they might be more likely to restrict GTA games in regards to controversial content.

No matter how you slice it, nothing about this is good for us.

Lackshmana

Drake Lake: Palms Fitted Black

Sandbox_Emperor

PlayerX

LordMaim

Tom Clancy's Samuraidino

EA, Take2, THQ, Vivendi and (few others, first part guys - MS, Nintendo, Sony) there is a BIG difference with being a game publisher and what EA and Take2 do here in the west they DISTRIBUTE as well.

If EA buys TAKE2 this is shit in the water for optional retail distribution channels competitors have.

My prediction by 2010 we'll have less then 5 distributors ... 3 of them being the platform owners.

Don't be so generous to Valve, Crytek or Epic your "free" developers, they all sleep in the same bed with EA.

SchoolBusDriver

wisconsinista

GameJerk