Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA) - Kotaku Comments

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Unstop — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:24:27 MDT

Valve is independent of EA. They worked with EA on a publishing deal. So did Flagship Studios. Now EA has done a better job of not rushing games but they still are generating the yearly average of Need for Speed which is not good for us. We want a higher quality product if we're shelling out 50$.

Good things could come from the take over, but the way EA is pushing it shows what their true intentions are. I want Take Two to stay independent.

Unstop

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

mindscienceofthemind — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:39:18 MDT

@Mr.SithNinja: It is not out, but I do know that Tiburon has both at running 60FPS on PS3 at this moment.

mindscienceofthemind

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:31:21 MDT

@mindscienceofthemind: Oh really they "are"? I didn't know they were out yet. Oh wait.. you mean they "will"? That's what they said the '08s would be running at around this time last year. Then they doubled back and cut the frame rates down to meet their launch date on time instead of fixing it. Maybe they get it right this year?

I'll believe it when I see it.

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

reptile168 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:47:42 MDT

boycott ea

reptile168

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

mindscienceofthemind — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:07:57 MDT

@baked ham: I agree.

@claming: The board are just proxies trying to clutch onto the power that they will lose inevitably, not smart business as much as dumb selfishness.

@Spoony Bard: John Riccitiello actually believes there is a correlation between Metacritic scores and sales (there is not) and he attempting to convince the shareholders of this, he is one crazy motherfucker, the Dr. Strangelove picture on his Facebook profile is particularly apt.

@Mr.SithNinja: Madden 09 and NCAA 09 are runnning on the PS3 at 60FPS.

@Talraen: BioWare does not a very good reputation as being a good place to work at (yeah, they won some bullshit business award, so did EA Tiburon, thus those things are jokes).

mindscienceofthemind

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

killr_klown — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:32:22 MDT

Maybe EA is realizing that many people aren't buying their games anymore and are trying to buy up every company so we have no choice.

At any rate this stinks - no means no!

killr_klown

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Korbei — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:28:21 MDT

I dont want to touch anything tainted in any way by EA.. it seems by the end of the decade, Im going to be out of options and I'll have to officially switch from video games to a better quality and more reliable substitute.. like cocaine or heroin.

Korbei

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

wicko — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:30:06 MDT

@ErskinPig: No, that's why I said team-up. I agree, I don't want to see EA becoming the next MS, and I wouldn't say EA fucked up the PS3 version of the Orange Box, because I think it would have been just as likely for Valve to fuck it up too. You read up on how much they were bitching about the PS3? It was pretty sad IMO. I think they would have had just as much trouble.

wicko

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

baked ham — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:02:19 MDT

@Mr.SithNinja: I don't believe either company is "evil" but I definitely like EA more than Activision. A lot more, actually.

But that's me.

baked ham

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Gray665 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:55:52 MDT

@Goatfish:

Yeah, there are more than 2, I was exagerating for effect.

Gray665

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:50:10 MDT

@axiomatic: Not only that all of the cool, funny in game bill boards wil be replaced with real ads. I can see it now... GTA '09 brought to you by Burger King!!

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:47:54 MDT

@baked ham: As long as they are are not replaced with EA execs I am fine with them being bought out. ANYBODY but EA!!! I would love to Activision in the mix.

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

axiomatic — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:47:29 MDT

EA really needs to be careful. If they buy up Take-Two and wind up sanitizing the hell out of GTA4, no one will buy it.

Oh and D.I.A.F. EA.

axiomatic

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Goatfish — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:37:37 MDT

@Gray665: Geez. 2? I think you're forgeting some 3rd party publishers in there. Activision and THQ for starters.

Goatfish

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

baked ham — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:36:12 MDT

I know I'm in the minority here, and I know I say this at the risk of you call flaming the fuck out of me, but I truly believe it, so I says it anyway: Take-Two must be bought, their executives and board must be done away with.

baked ham

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Adam Rock — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:33:02 MDT

Fellow stockholders, hold onto your valuable riches!

Adam Rock

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Bastard11 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:31:10 MDT

@Tenth:
"It's common knowledge that EA will be putting a stop to the 2K sports line, so they won't be porting any of that... everything else will be made by the developers that are (currently) owned by Take 2."

Well thats mighty optimistic of you to think.. and it may be mostly true for the next iteration.. but unlikely overall. EA will shuffle development duties as they see fit.. and many of the talented people behind T2 titles will jump ship shortly after the buyout anyways.

I don't know what it is that makes people view EA with rose tinted glasses but they have shown time and time again that they are not fit developers and a growing destructive force in the industry. Just because you like a few of their titles doesn't mean they as a whole are good.

Bastard11

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

huginn — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:27:48 MDT

Take no action? "HA" They seemingly have been doing everything to NOT be bought out, is something in it self.

They are struggling, when Ea puts on pressure, it is hard to avoid the temptation of the darkside. But they want to wait GTA4 to come out. It's there goldmine, it is there stock booster. Perhaps even double their stock price.

TT, hang in there. for your own sanity, hang in there.

huginn

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Bastard11 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:27:16 MDT

@wicko: Your wording says it all.. "team-up." It was merely a publishing and distribution agreement that Valve entered with EA.
EA doesn't own Valve.. doesn't absorb it's IPs and doesn't dictate development duties, budgets or designs.

Huge difference.

Bastard11

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

A8acus — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:17:48 MDT

Not to be critical - and I have read it in above posts as well - but success of GTA4 will likely have little effect on the price of the stock. At least not some RADICAL change.

A8acus

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Gray665 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:15:20 MDT

@Talraen:

No. An industry in which EA and Ubisoft are the only two 3rd party game publishers is not something ANYONE other than people with a lot of money invested in those 2 companies should want. Ever. There is no way it can be good for innovation, not to mention competition. Without 2k Sports EA can innovate even less than they already do. I don't care how much they are saying they changed, they haven't. If they had, they wouldn't need to be buying up all these companies and getting exclusive sports licensing deals.

Gray665

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

ErskinPig — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:14:53 MDT

@Talraen: Nope. The principle alone is enough grounds to oppose this. EA don't need Take Two and Take Two don't need EA. All this will do is reduce competition and give more power to a company that is already a monstrosity. Their words of change are hollow given the fact that they're even attempting a hostile takeover.

In short, FUCK EA!

ErskinPig

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Despacio — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:07:15 MDT

Wouldn't the ownership of TT just give EA even more ammo to release their own console. Al the sports games and the GTA franchise only playable on the EA console! Get it while you can folks.

Shouldn't Microsoft and Sony worry about that?

Despacio

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Talraen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:59:27 MDT

So Spore being allowed to take forever, Army of Two being pushed back, NHL 08 being amazing, Madden 08 being the best version in years, no one at Bioware crying over the acquisition, EA openly admitting their past mistakes with buying companies at GDC... that hasn't convinced anyone to give them a chance?

Talraen

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Machines — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:59:09 MDT

@syrantking: Please don't mention "touching your favorites." This is a family blog.

Machines

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Machines — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:58:16 MDT

@KingSnorky: Truth. The current price of Take Two's stock is already factoring in the perceivable success of GTA IV and the possibility of an EA buyout.

Machines

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

syrantking — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:55:58 MDT

Man, this whole thing just seems so underhanded.

I wonder who they'll go after next. At least they can't touch my favorites.

syrantking

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

glib85 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:52:40 MDT

@KingSnorky: Also, take a look at Take Two's stock price around the release of vice city, there's no jump around the release date, and it slowly hits a new low in the following months. It does better after the release of San Andreas, and does eventually climb about 25%, but that's six months after the fact. And six months after that, it's reached a level significantly below it's pre-san andreas level. So if anything, it would make more sense for EA to wait a year before trying to buy them out.

My guess, they're doing this now so that they get to remain top dog publisher after the activision-vivendi merger goes through.

glib85

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:49:26 MDT

@Tenth: You are right about Valve. Valve pawned it off on EA because Gabe Newell (co-founder of Valve) HATES the PS3 because he can't figure out the architecture. He has been quoted as saying: "I think the PS3 is a waste of everybody's time. Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits. There's nothing there that you're going to apply to anything else. You're not going to gain anything except a hatred of the architecture they've created."

EA's port of Madden 08 to the PS3 is an example of EA's guys being clueless to how to dev on it as well. How can Infinity Ward release COD4 on both platforms and have them be arguably identical while EA, with their vast resources and manpower, fail to mirror their own games on both systems? Answer: EA = Fail. Infinity Ward = Win.

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Atilla_the_Nun — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:48:06 MDT

I wonder what would be considered a "poisoned pill" in this case? Lot's of Hot Cofee in all the uypcoming games?

Atilla_the_Nun

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Cagny — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:45:34 MDT

I'm pretty sure you guys do not want MS to buy TT. Do you really want all of TT's IP to be exclusive Xbox games? I don't even have a PS3, but I'm pretty sure of the rest of you would prefer EA buying TT over MS.

Cagny

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

testmunky — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:38:32 MDT

@Gray665: Actually its highly unlikely that GTA would send the T2 stock higher than $26. The only reason the stock is near that is because of the buyout offer from EA.

testmunky

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

ErskinPig — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:38:25 MDT

@TheChosen: Yes, because that's SO important to make the game enjoyable. 8-)

ErskinPig

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

ErskinPig — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:34:32 MDT

@wicko: If you're implying that EA own Valve, you're sorely (and mercifully) mistaken.

EA acquiring Take Two will be nothing short of a catastrophy for the games industry.

ErskinPig

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

TheChosen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:32:12 MDT

does this mean they will put real cars in gta4?

awesum, cnt wait!

TheChosen

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Tenth — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:27:39 MDT

@Mr.SithNinja: What does that have to do with one publisher buying another. EA ported it because Valve couldn't. Manpower, and possibly not knowing the hardware (seeing as how they have no other IP on any system).

It's common knowledge that EA will be putting a stop to the 2K sports line, so they won't be porting any of that... everything else will be made by the developers that are (currently) owned by Take 2.

Tenth

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Gray665 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:27:13 MDT

I'd hope that T2's shareholders were smart enough or at least in the know enough to realize that EA is trying to get them before GTAIV drops and that holding out is in their best interest as investors as it will certainly be a huge success and raise the value of T2 shares significantly higher than $26. My fear is that the majority of T2's shareholders have no fucking clue.

Gray665

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Spoony Bard — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:26:10 MDT

One more thing...another party of note in all this is ZelnickMedia. They came in to restructure the company, and then Strauss Zelnick, former CEO of BMG and current chairman of the Take-Two board, increases compensation in case of takeover?

Read the following:

Take-Two's board extended its contract with Zelnick's management firm, ZelnickMedia, and tripled the fee it paid the firm to $2.5 million a year.

And the following:

On his first day as the chairman of Take-Two, Zelnick addressed all employees and promised to sustain the creative process that has helped the company create the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series. Moving forward, the goal, says Zelnick, is to ensure Take-Two becomes the most efficient and most creative of all game companies in the market.

Thoughts?

Spoony Bard

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

KingSnorky — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:23:16 MDT

I think those of you who are expecting a big GTA IV stock bump are probably going to be disappointed. It's not like investors are going to wake up on April 29th and say, "What? GTA IV is a hit? I guess we'd better run out and buy some TTWO!"

The fact of the matter is, GTA IV expected sales are already factored in to the stock price to a large degree. And if you've got analysts already expecting the game to sell 9 million copies, then game would have to beat those expectations if you want to see a significant stock jump. (And, conversely, if the game falls short of the 9 million people are expecting it to sell, you can expect to see the stock tank.)

KingSnorky

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

sitsalot — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:13:02 MDT

at least if ea buys them, all platforms will see release of their titles. if sony or mirosoft bought them they would be exclusive, so im all set with that.

sitsalot

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Spoony Bard — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:12:51 MDT

Fact of the matter is...Take 2 has a history of misconduct within the organization, culminating in the ouster of 5 out of 6 board members last year.

If EA were to take over this company, financially I'm sure they would do just fine. But creatively...there is no doubt that the major party to get screwed will be the consumer. At the end of the day, it's about profits for EA, not games. Which is great if you're a shareholder, bad if you're a gamer.

Same thing has been happening at Disney for the last 20 years. When your company goes public, the soul and nature of the beast changes. It's all about pleasing the investors, not the customers.

Spoony Bard

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

jspeed04 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:05:34 MDT

Come on, where are all the other larger companies who could easily afford TT? Sony, Activision, Ubisoft?
Dare I even say...sigh...Microsoft?

jspeed04

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

BryanGuitarDude — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:04:03 MDT

If i buy 5 copies of gta4 promise not to merge with EA? =\ Man i hope they can hold on for abit longer.

BryanGuitarDude

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

JustJake — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:00:36 MDT

@First_I_Win_The_Internet: That is the best thing I have seen in any of these T2 and EA posts. lol

JustJake

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:00:21 MDT

@wicko: If you own the PC or 360 version it was fine because Valve handled the ports. EA did the PS3 port and it fucking sucks by comparison. Coincidence? Doubtful....

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Trowble (XBL/PSN) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:56:59 MDT

Damn... EA is a persistent piece of shit aren't they? They just don't want Take-Two to make their decision after the release of GTAIV. They're like a psychopath ex-girlfriend, if they can't have you, then nobody else can and they won't get piece of mind until your dead or in this case, EAten.

Trowble (XBL/PSN)

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

claming — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:55:13 MDT

The board wants to wait for the GTA price bump so that they can dictate the terms. I think thats actually smart business.

claming

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

First_I_Win_The_Internet — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:53:20 MDT

Peter Moore wants to use that GTA IV tattoo again

First_I_Win_The_Internet

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:49:10 MDT

@the wheel: If EA takes over T2 before GTA4 comes out and they slap their label on it, I simply won't buy it. I don't care if it turns out to be the greatest game ever made, I won't give EA another dime. They are swinging around their massive bags of cash at the stockholders to get them to jump ship so they can take credit for the success of GTA4 and drive their own stock prices up. EA has gone too far.

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

NunianVonFuch — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:45:53 MDT

It'd be stupid of the shareholder to sell now, surely once GTA IV hits the shares will shoot up sky high and then the big bucks can be made.

NunianVonFuch

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Señor Vorpal Kickass'o — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:44:50 MDT

@Mr.SithNinja: Melodramatic much?

Señor Vorpal Kickass'o

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

relax_guy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:44:43 MDT

a walk down memory lane: my first ever game crash was on an EA release. It was some god awful road rash clone called "Skitch'n"

everything just.. stopped.. and it blew my 10 year old mind.

relax_guy

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

the wheel — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:44:00 MDT

fuck this shit.

IF ANYONE FROM TAKE TWO IS READING THIS..

please. just wait til GTA4 comes out. you'll have all the money you ever wanted. then you can dump all your shares to wherever the fuck you want, i don't care.

don't let EA monopolize and diffuse the industry.

the wheel

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

wicko — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:40:14 MDT

The EA and Valve team-up didn't turn out too bad.. are people over-reacting?

wicko

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

relax_guy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:38:51 MDT

microsoft should just buy EA. I'm sick of having choices.

relax_guy

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Mr.SithNinja — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:38:10 MDT

If EA somehow ends up taking them over, I will never touch anything they put out ever again. I know that alone won't do much to change anything but if others do as well, then maybe we can send a message telling them that the gaming community won't stand for it.

There is no way in hell I am going to buy games that are mearly yearly updates that are churned out over and over. Crap like region locking online play because of "lag issues" is also intolerable. How bout setting up some fucking servers. Oh wait, that might cost them money to provide a quality gaming experience to their costomers. We can't have that!

Mr.SithNinja

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

iceketch — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:37:35 MDT

Well, it looks like we're on the turning point...or at least it seems so, even if Take-Two will resist the buyout EA will find other ways to offer proposals and stuff, unless Take-Two doesn't merge with someone else and put a "stop" to all the drama.

Looks like they won't be left by themselves anytime soon.

iceketch

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

HurricaneDave — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:34:59 MDT

I think there is a reason EA is pressuring now. They know that once GTA 4 shipps their price might jump by 50% of its current value and that might put it out of their range.

HurricaneDave

Take-Two: Just Say No (To EA)

Gadgetron — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:33:31 MDT

I have a feeling that EA will get T2 no matter what. If 26 a share is not enough of an incentive then perhaps they will go higher.
T2 has a solid list of IP's

Gadgetron