EA gets antitrust blessing to buy Grand Theft Auto maker

[Space Edge]

EA gets antitrust blessing to buy Grand Theft Auto maker

U.S. antitrust authorities have given their blessing to a takeover of Take-Two Interactive Software, publisher of the massively successful Grand Theft Auto franchise, by video game giant Electronic Arts.
"Upon further review of this matter, it now appears that no additional action by the commission is warranted at this time. Accordingly, the investigation has been closed," said a letter on the Federal Trade Commission's website.
The FTC had conducted a review into whether a takeover of Take-Two by EA would lead to lessened competition in the hot video game market. The regulator sent its findings to the two companies on Monday, then posted the letters on its website on Wednesday.
On Monday, EA said it would allow its $2 billion US takeover for the smaller company offer expire. EA had set a deadline of midnight on Monday.
Instead, the two companies announced they had signed an agreement to begin "strategic discussions."
Take-Two has thus far rebuffed EA's takeover offers as "undervalued." The company believes it is worth much more than $2 billion US not only because of the valuable Grand Theft Auto franchise, but also because of its other properties, which include a host of sports games and last year's hit BioShock, which is being turned into a movie and is likely to spawn sequel games.
Analysts say the two companies are posturing on the price of the takeover, but they believe it will eventually happen — possibly even this week.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/08/20/tech-ea.html

[MIKEYDAKEN]

well there goes one of the only game series i love thank you ea i cant wait to drive around the cookie cutter city's that you pump out year after year with no new additions to the series. how could this not be looked at like a fucking monopoly?

[CofyCrakCocaine]

EA fucked the System Shock series too. Not their biggest fan.

[K.C.]

Wait...does this mean no more shitty 2kSports games?

WAIT...does this mean MVP Baseball may be back for '09?!

:clap::clap::clap::clap:

[CofyCrakCocaine]

2k also brought us such games as Oblivion and Bioshock. Keep in mind the differences between a developer and a publisher tho. As far as I'm concerned, while publishers make it possible for people to experience these games, developers are the real creators and should get way more credit... developers have way more impact on the quality of a game.

I'm really too lazy to wiki it today, but is Take-Two the same as 2k?

[K.C.]

I'm really too lazy to wiki it today, but is Take-Two the same as 2k?

2k's a subsidiary.

GTA is obviously a huge reason why EA wants the takeover, but they probably have just as much interest in the sports licenses as well.

[MobCounty]

Fug more layoffs... Poor bastards. As soon as the core team dwindles under ea's rule the franchise will suffer.


Well at least we can look forward to the 'Simpsons' version of gta now... ;P

[MIKEYDAKEN]

2k also brought us such games as Oblivion and Bioshock. Keep in mind the differences between a developer and a publisher tho. As far as I'm concerned, while publishers make it possible for people to experience these games, developers are the real creators and should get way more credit... developers have way more impact on the quality of a game.

I'm really too lazy to wiki it today, but is Take-Two the same as 2k?

this sucks balls. i only have had my 360 since christmas i only have 4 games :Oblivion, Bioshock, gta 4 and dead rising three of my beloved games are gonna go to EA's digital prision and get the electronic salads tossed. fuck you EA i hate and hope you die of slow cancer all you do is pump out sequel after sequel while inventive and different games get the shaft.

[midwestjeff]

Wait...does this mean no more shitty 2kSports games?

WAIT...does this mean MVP Baseball may be back for '09?!

:clap::clap::clap::clap:

I'm with ya, brother.

I don't own a gaming system right now because there are no good baseball games.

Bring back MVP and I'll buy a 360 or PS3. And a TV. Otherwise, fuck it.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

this sucks balls. i only have had my 360 since christmas i only have 4 games :Oblivion, Bioshock, gta 4 and dead rising three of my beloved games are gonna go to EA's digital prision and get the electronic salads tossed. fuck you EA i hate and hope you die of slow cancer all you do is pump out sequel after sequel while inventive and different games get the shaft.

Dead Rising might get sued too. Sorry to crush your dreams.

On a bright note, EA does have one legitimately good game. Mass Effect.

[Sheeplovr]

i just want them to bring back lords of conquest

[JustJon]

this sucks balls. i only have had my 360 since christmas i only have 4 games :Oblivion, Bioshock, gta 4 and dead rising three of my beloved games are gonna go to EA's digital prision and get the electronic salads tossed. fuck you EA i hate and hope you die of slow cancer all you do is pump out sequel after sequel while inventive and different games get the shaft.

So of your 4 games, 2 are sequels, 1 had its sequel announced already and the fourth has its sequel rumored.

What were you saying about sequel after sequel?

[Knowledged_one]

and getting permission doesnt mean they have bought the company

And lets be honest GTA IV sucked, its the same thing over and over and over and over and the multiplayer sucked

[Doctor Z]

There's like 4 videogame companies anymore.

[MIKEYDAKEN]

So of your 4 games, 2 are sequels, 1 had its sequel announced already and the fourth has its sequel rumored.

What were you saying about sequel after sequel?

but the sequels all had something to improve on the series because the company's let the developers the time to work on the game which will stop happening when EA buys them which you know they will. i'm not a sequel hater but i don't like paying 60 dollars for a game that updates nothing and EA is know for that.

[Knowledged_one]

but the sequels all had something to improve on the series because the company's let the developers the time to work on the game which will stop happening when EA buys them which you know they will. i'm not a sequel hater but i don't like paying 60 dollars for a game that updates nothing and EA is know for that.

Other then sports games what other games does EA put out every year?

[DolaMight]

There's like 4 videogame companies anymore.

I can't wait till they all become AOL-Time-Warner-EA.

[Drunky McBetidont]

so does this mean no more lazlow show???

[DolaMight]

Other then sports games what other games does EA put out every year?

Quite alot. Besides the Battlefield saga, I think they damn near publish every third game. I could be wrong but I'm too lazy to research my opinions.

[K.C.]

I'm with ya, brother.

I don't own a gaming system right now because there are no good baseball games.

Bring back MVP and I'll buy a 360 or PS3. And a TV. Otherwise, fuck it.


If they did MVP Baseball for the Wii, it could be the single greatest thing ever made.

The gameplay 2k used for MLB 2k8 on the Wii this year is actually pretty cool, and in some respects, it's the best style of baseball game I've ever played.

But the attention to detail was horrible, and the game is really shitty overall because of the layouts...it was basically good gameplay wrapped in shit.


MVP 2005 is the best layed out baseball game I've ever seen, and about as close to perfect of one I've ever seen. If EA takes that layout, and combines it with the Wii controls...could be awesome.


Other then sports games what other games does EA put out every year?

They authored the Godfather series (Godfather II comes out later this year) and the Simpsons games, which are both suppose to be takeoffs of the GTA style, which in turn has angered a lot of GTA fanboys.

Neither of the two aforementioned games have close to the detail put into GTA, but I actually found the Godfather game for the Wii to be pretty underrated, and it's been a while since I played Simpsons Hit & Run, but I thought that was about as good a Simpsons game as you could make.


There's some legitimacy to the fear that the EA takeover could water down GTA, but it's probably a bit overstated at the moment.


The only thing I'd say definitively about this is that EA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Take Two at sports games.


2k was solid when it was run by Sega...but since Take Two took over 2k, it's been garbage.

[Knowledged_one]

If they did MVP Baseball for the Wii, it could be the single greatest thing ever made.

The gameplay 2k used for MLB 2k8 on the Wii this year is actually pretty cool, and in some respects, it's the best style of baseball game I've ever played.

But the attention to detail was horrible, and the game is really shitty overall because of the layouts...it was basically good gameplay wrapped in shit.


MVP 2005 is the best layed out baseball game I've ever seen, and about as close to perfect of one I've ever seen. If EA takes that layout, and combines it with the Wii controls...could be awesome.




They authored the Godfather series (Godfather II comes out later this year) and the Simpsons games, which are both suppose to be takeoffs of the GTA style, which in turn has angered a lot of GTA fanboys.

Neither of the two aforementioned games have close to the detail put into GTA, but I actually found the Godfather game for the Wii to be pretty underrated, and it's been a while since I played Simpsons Hit & Run, but I thought that was about as good a Simpsons game as you could make.


There's some legitimacy to the fear that the EA takeover could water down GTA, but it's probably a bit overstated at the moment.


The only thing I'd say definitively about this is that EA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Take Two at sports games.


2k was solid when it was run by Sega...but since Take Two took over 2k, it's been garbage.

I am sorry let me qualify. What i meant was the inference was that EA puts out watered down games every year. What i was saying is that other then the sports games (Like Madden, NHL, NBA Live, Tiger Woods, etc) EA does not just release sequels to games every year, they acutally develop games and take time to put them out

[Snoogans]

they didnt buy the company that makes grad theft auto. They bought the company that distributed it. I really dont see this changing much over at Rockstar Developement

[K.C.]

they didnt buy the company that makes grad theft auto. They bought the company that distributed it. I really dont see this changing much over at Rockstar Developement

I would imagine they have a degree of influence on the product like any publisher of anything does, to where they can refuse certain controversial elements of the game if they choose.

But by in large, you're right...the whole GTA hysteria about this thing is overblown. As long as Rockstar remains intact with the same people, there shouldn't be too much that changes.

[Snoogans]

I would imagine they have a degree of influence on the product like any publisher of anything does, to where they can refuse certain controversial elements of the game if they choose.

But by in large, you're right...the whole GTA hysteria about this thing is overblown. As long as Rockstar remains intact with the same people, there shouldn't be too much that changes.

and as far as they push it, i really dont see EA stopping them from doing anything. They let alot of shit go at EA in the Godfather game, which basically was grand theft auto godfather, and since it'll have an M rating anyway, they dont care. They just wanna get paid

[K.C.]

and as far as they push it, i really dont see EA stopping them from doing anything. They let alot of shit go at EA in the Godfather game, which basically was grand theft auto godfather, and since it'll have an M rating anyway, they dont care. They just wanna get paid

True about the Godfather game.


Yeah, I'd have to say I see very little possible change as well. The only one thing is that EA may be a little more likely to cave to the attempted boycotts and protests that come with each GTA release, if they feel it may threaten sales of some of their other titles.

But for the most part, this is a pure cash grab, and there's no benefit for them to really tamper with anything.


So GTA will be fine.

[Thebazile78]

i just want them to bring back lords of conquest

You & me both. In the meantime, I've learned to love the Civilization games from Sid Meier and Firaxis.

Truthfully, I'd also like to see them bring back Mail Order Monsters.