Take Two Selling???

[Rodster]

Re: Take Two Selling???

So EA has in fact bought Take Two? wow, this is a sad day for sports gamers, even worse then when they bought the NFL.

Nothing has been confirmed yet as it's still a rumor.

[LBzrule]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

LBzrule,
The EA Sports person I spoke to wasn't so much focused on ESPN in Madden, but rather the overall use of the ESPN license in EA Sports games. So there was no mention of NFL Network issues in the context which we communicated. (Did you get much explanation of what those issues were between NFL N and ESPN from your contact?)

But I said that I was disappointed with the use of ESPN in the latest Live game- (I mentioned about streaming PTI, which does nothing to excite most gamers) and he indicated that ESPN was looking for that kind of thing to be in there.

But..the person could have been jerking my chain too, or "getting me off his back".

Not much explanation except NFL wanted their Network represented in the game. Which is interesting if you look at practice mode in Madden what do you see? If you go to the mini games what do you see? Some minor NFL Network presentation which will probably get beefed up this year (guessing), NOT ESPN

[jmc]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

Microsoft Interested in Buying Take-Two ?

Yesterday Take-Two revealed it was postponing the previously scheduled annual shareholders meeting to explore its options, one being a possible sale of the entire company. Today word has reached us through the grapevine by means of an inside source at Rockstar Vancouver, that "the buzz" in the hallways is that Microsoft might have put in a bid or expressed interest in purchasing the ailing publisher/developer. While this is a mere rumor, albeit from a reliable source, it is to be taken with a grain of salt. Just imagine the ramifications....

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=41553&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

[BrianFifaFan]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

Microsoft Interested in Buying Take-Two ?

Yesterday Take-Two revealed it was postponing the previously scheduled annual shareholders meeting to explore its options, one being a possible sale of the entire company. Today word has reached us through the grapevine by means of an inside source at Rockstar Vancouver, that "the buzz" in the hallways is that Microsoft might have put in a bid or expressed interest in purchasing the ailing publisher/developer. While this is a mere rumor, albeit from a reliable source, it is to be taken with a grain of salt. Just imagine the ramifications....

http://www.worthplaying.com/article....rder=0&thold=0

The only problem with this is that Shane Kim said they weren't interested yesterday. Not saying that might not just be spin. How many coaches weren't interested in that other job.....:wink:

[DW Rutledge]

Re: Take Two Selling???

46% isn't majority any way is it?

it's not a majority but i'm sure it's a controlling interest.

if no one else owns more than, say, 10% of the company ea could do whatever they wanted with the Take Two just based on their 46% interest.

[Behindshadows]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

So did EA already buy T2? Is this a done deal? i hope not

Where is this even part of the subject? You selling your 360 because EA ends up buying T2.

You don't buy a console for 1 game. And if your going to sell your 360, you probably should do it anyways. Obviously it doesn't mean too much too you.

There are tons of other games, that make the 360 great, and I'm sorry EA isn't ruining that experience...

Microsoft Interested in Buying Take-Two ?

Yesterday Take-Two revealed it was postponing the previously scheduled annual shareholders meeting to explore its options, one being a possible sale of the entire company. Today word has reached us through the grapevine by means of an inside source at Rockstar Vancouver, that "the buzz" in the hallways is that Microsoft might have put in a bid or expressed interest in purchasing the ailing publisher/developer. While this is a mere rumor, albeit from a reliable source, it is to be taken with a grain of salt. Just imagine the ramifications....

http://www.worthplaying.com/article....rder=0&thold=0

And some point, I can believe Microsoft will do this, it would put them back in the sports game market, give them exclusive to GTA. And so on!

Not to mention, half the Inside Drive team is already working with VC on the Basketball games. So why wouldn't it make sense. I hope they do buy T2.

[GTheorenHobbes]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

If there's anyone who can outbid EA the next time the NFL rights come up, it's Microsoft. I'd much rather have 2k/VC making my football games than Tiburon for the next 20 years. C'mon Mr. Gates...make it happen, please!

[quietcool72]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

If there's anyone who can outbid EA the next time the NFL rights come up, it's Microsoft. I'd much rather have 2k/VC making my football games than Tiburon for the next 20 years. C'mon Mr. Gates...make it happen, please!

The thing is, much of the sell value of 2K is based on them owning the exclusive 3rd party license to MLB baseball and making that part of the sale. They will be valued based on holding that gold nugget, and sold accordingly if they do sell.

Problem: That license is 100% meaningless to Microsoft and/or Sony. So they would be paying an inflated price based on a license they cannot hold as a first party manufacturer who ALREADY has MLB rights to make a game if they desired.

To the people who think that Microsoft or Sony would buy 2K Sports- it just isn't going to happen. Realistically, it will be Ubisoft or EA if there is a sale. Take Sony and MS off the table because of the MLB license.

Only a third party developer is going to pay top notch for that. Sony and MS already own their own baseball rights.

Besides- ask the High Heat baseball folks how great it was that MS bougth their rights.

..and never made a baseball game, and dissolved them totally...

[jmood88]

Re: Take Two Selling???

You really think they wouldn't explore the possibility of double-dipping? How many of the "casuals" would also buy the "sim" version if it had EA Sports logo on it? I am only speaking on the NFL as far as getting a "2K" version as well as the EA version because the sport is popular enough to support it.

All the other sports would be the EA version with former 2K guys working on the dev teams. In the end, they would need more than just to kill off their competitor as a reason to justify the purchase to shareholders. They have enough people working on the games, rumoured to be too many, what they need is a return on their investment.

Why would EA make a game that is supposedly more "sim" than madden? Do you really think that they would admit that any game is more realistic than theirs?

[sroz39]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

The thing is, much of the sell value of 2K is based on them owning the exclusive 3rd party license to MLB baseball and making that part of the sale. They will be valued based on holding that gold nugget, and sold accordingly if they do sell.

Problem: That license is 100% meaningless to Microsoft and/or Sony. So they would be paying an inflated price based on a license they cannot hold as a first party manufacturer who ALREADY has MLB rights to make a game if they desired.

To the people who think that Microsoft or Sony would buy 2K Sports- it just isn't going to happen. Realistically, it will be Ubisoft or EA if there is a sale. Take Sony and MS off the table because of the MLB license.

Only a third party developer is going to pay top notch for that. Sony and MS already own their own baseball rights.

Besides- ask the High Heat baseball folks how great it was that MS bougth their rights.

..and never made a baseball game, and dissolved them totally...

I could totally see Microsoft buying TT regardless of the MLB license, as they would justify it by adding another killer app to their portfolio in GTA. If need be, they could sell the MLB license to EA and be done with it.

MS has cash to spend and are willing to do whatever it takes to take the number one spot. Just wait until the Capcom deal inevitably gets done and you see the sticker price MS will pay for a declining company.

[sroz39]

Re: Take Two Selling???

Why would EA make a game that is supposedly more "sim" than madden? Do you really think that they would admit that any game is more realistic than theirs?

I never meant it as more realistic, rather as deeper than Madden.

[spankdatazz22]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

Problem: That license is 100% meaningless to Microsoft and/or Sony. So they would be paying an inflated price based on a license they cannot hold as a first party manufacturer who ALREADY has MLB rights to make a game if they desired.

But if Microsoft decided they wanted to make a baseball game as the current situation exists, wouldn't they have to pay a licensing fee also? If I'm understanding correctly, they'd be paying more for getting VC, but with it they'd get a next gen game already in place as well as top of the line basketball and hockey titles (and potentially football with APF2k8 - and they wouldn't be trying to build code from the ground up if the NFL license opens up). I think I see where you're going with it - just saying I don't think it's completely meaningless for MS. Perhaps less so for Sony, as 989 has a well-regarded baseball title, code for a decent basketball title, and they've developed hockey and baseball games in the past

[e0820]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

If MS were to get 2k Sports - I believe PS3 owners (including me) would be out of luck. Although since Microsoft is pushing Gaming for Windows, it would be nice to see some of the 2k Sports ported to pc's.

[thejackal25]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

Microsoft Interested in Buying Take-Two ?

Yesterday Take-Two revealed it was postponing the previously scheduled annual shareholders meeting to explore its options, one being a possible sale of the entire company. Today word has reached us through the grapevine by means of an inside source at Rockstar Vancouver, that "the buzz" in the hallways is that Microsoft might have put in a bid or expressed interest in purchasing the ailing publisher/developer. While this is a mere rumor, albeit from a reliable source, it is to be taken with a grain of salt. Just imagine the ramifications....

http://www.worthplaying.com/article....rder=0&thold=0

Wow, so this rumor has MS buying all of Take-Two? All of the developers? That would really change this generation's console wars. Just imagine GTA and Elder Scrolls becoming Xbox exclusives...not to mention what sort of impact having a first party sports lineup will have, especially since the 2k sports brand is becoming more recognized. I could actually see MS pulling out all the stops and doing this. The exclusives have definitely been in MS' favor as of late, and they might see an acquisition of T2 as a way to truly separate from the competition. If T2's developers are sold, then I hope it's to MS rather than EA. As a previous poster noted, having 2k sports games on the PC would be incredible.

[Spectre]

Re: Take Two's pending sale

MS won't do this- EA would be royally pissed off.