The document that could change GTA forever

Offer to Purchase for Cash
All Outstanding Shares of Common Stock
(Including the Associated Preferred Stock Purchase Rights)
of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
at $26.00 Net Per Share
by EA08 Acquisition Corp.
a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Electronic Arts Inc.

[kewlkat007]

Another franchise has just gone down the Tube.....

Enjoy this one(GTA4) folks..

[v1c1ous]

you are the embodiment of everything that is bad this gen.

someone so devoted to a company you wish ill luck on game companies for bringing series to other consoles so more people can enjoy them.

[LightningPS3]

It was lost when Rockstar decided to take it Multi.

Pretty soon it will be just like Madden, coming out every year and on every console on the market. And I'll just laugh my ass off.

They wanted to expand their userbase, so they got their wish.

[v1c1ous]

cause this whole gen is "MULTICONSOLE"

enjoy

[Cysquatch]

Take Two's Board rejected the original offer. EA is going hostile and is tendering the offer to the shareholders. The annual shareholder's meeting is the 18th which so happens to be the deadline of this offer. The stock is $25/share right now. The $26/share offer is ridiculous and let's hope the shareholders think the same thing.

[cLiCK_sLiCK9]

Im with you.
Fcuk EA. Im not even goin to say anything anymore...you guys know the rest.

[SynGamer]

Rockstar going multi-platform with GTA4 was a good thing financially. So far it seems both games are nearly the same which means it should pay off for fans as well. While i hate EA's yearly releases, it's hard to argue with their current structure in terms of efficiency.

[FordGTGuy]

You do know that GTA: San Andreas and GTA Vice City were on Xbox right?

[Fallen_Angel]

Got to love stupid fanboys like lighting there. Ranting about them making gta4 multi when it has always been a multi game.

GTA released for DOS, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation

GTA 2 released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation and Dreamcast

GTA 3 released for PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows

GTA VC released for PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows

GTA SA released for PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Xbox

GTA has never been an exclusive to any system

[juuken]

Lightning, that was a really dumb thing to say. I may not like M$ but Take Two is still a really good company and going multi-platform was a good thing, whether you liked it or not.

It was actually good for them and I don't want that bratty company EA taking them over.

[Treefingers]

or does anyone else remember Rock* North (or something similar)going PS exclusive after XBOX360 episodic content?

[Lifendz]

or at least a good number of podcasts and from what I've heard from EA's representatives gone are the days when they would be like the borg. They pretty much let the devs do their thing and provide better tools than they otherwise would've had. I don't think they'll change GTA. I do think, however, that they're going to launch their own console.

Just imagine, a console with GTA, Bioshock, Burnout, Madden, KOTR, Mass Effect, and etc all exclusive. Tell me you wouldn't at least consider it.

[MattFoley]

You are correct Lifendz.Bubbles

[Exhaust]

Congratulations your comment wins the grand price for blind corporate loyalty.

#1 - Sony has admitted to not pursuing GTA timed exclusivity or any other kind of exclusivity with Rockstar this generation. They're focusing on first party development this generation rather than securing third party exclusivity.
#2 - If the game isn't developed by a first party developer its going multiplatform this generation simply due to higher production costs.
#3 - As Fallen Angel pointed out GTA has always been multiplatform.

Grow up.

[JsonHenry]

EA has been kind to my favorite franchise - Command and Conquer. So I have faith they will do the game justice.

[Shadow Flare]

I would hate it if EA released their own console. However i agree with you about them being 'less like the borg'. All i have to do is look at the Burnout series and I can see how the EA aquisition of it has benefited the series. They still let Criterion do whatever they want but you can tell they gave them advice from their Need for Speed experience about openworld cities for Burnout Paradise. And the EA music is good too. I mean, Rockstar doesn't need any help in making games, i think EA know that. But i just hope they don't make their own console.

[SuperTanker]

The reason that Take Two's stock is ~ $25/share is because EA made the $26/share offer to them back in February. This is why the stock is valued near $26 dollars right now because with EA making the offer, that's about what it's worth. If this offer weren't here, their stock would be no where near $26. Before EA's offer, it was only around $16/share.

[Cysquatch]

I still think the 26/share offer is way too low. EA is trying to get in before GTAIV. Plain and simple. GTAIV is going to DOUBLE Halo 3 in the first week of sales. Period. 2 billion is a steal for the publishing rights of the most successful franchises of all time. Not to mention all the other titles under the T2 umbrella:
(Sid Meier's Civilization®, Max Payne, Midnight Club, Manhunt, Red Dead Revolver, BioShock, Sid Meier's Railroads!®, Sid Meier's Pirates!™, and Top Spin. Licensed brands include the sports games Major League Baseball® 2K, NBA® 2K, NHL® 2K, and College Hoops 2K.)

[Buubar]

This could be old though? It was Filed on March 13, 2008.

We'll have to see, its bound to happen anyway.

[TheExecutive]

i dont really see how Take Two can deny this offer. They owe it to their shareholders.

[Jazzzz]

But what about the game-players?

360 owners

ps3 owners

Hardcore fans?

People who have played maybe 3 or 4 games at a friends house who (since 01) automatically hear the gta name and know for a fact that something at least moderately enjoyable is there...

shareholders are responsible for the money perhaps....

in a better world maybe.

[-EvoAnubis-]

No shareholder with a brain would sell in this situation. A smart investor looks at the market, and sees that EA is in a mad scramble to get this deal done before 4/29. Two reasons being they want that GTA4 money, and also they know the sales from this game will make TT a lot of money and raise the stockprice due to the new income stream, which would make a hostile takeover too costly at that point.

Besides, no real investor sells when the price is still going up. A minor jump is enough to get the investors who know nothing to sell, but a seasoned investor will hold.

Edit: See? http://n4g.com/industrynews... That just proves my point. EA knows exactly what they're trying to do, and a smart investor would know it too.

[RJ2000]

How do they owe it to their share holders? Their shares are going to go to sh*t. Those that know anything will sell after this. That is the only favor they have done them.

[IntelligentAj]

This is a tendered offer which hasn't accepted yet.

[Smudge2626]

That's what I came to say. I know there was a whole fuss about EA trying to buy them a while back, this could just be the document from that offer. No mention of Take Two accepting.

[meepmoopmeep]

looks like GTA4 will be the last real GTA game.

EDIT: so the deal is for the 18th of April unless extended.
guess we'll find out in a couple days

[Hagaf22]

hopefully if the shareholders do decide to be overly dumb and accept this, rock* and take-two get the income that gta4 brings in. im not sure how all that works but it would suck to put so much in to a game then have ea come in and get all the money.

[Jazzzz]

When did old men making money have anything to do with a freshly cherry popped gold-mine?!?!

Oh wait..

hopefully somebody is making a well crafted joke...

otherwize... "smoke em if you got em" comes to mind.

[OoOLeafsOoO]

Well...looks like this is going to be the last good GTA game...shame...it really was one of the greatest franchises ever...

[Clinton514]

Because some of the reactions here are as if the purchase has already taken place. Haha.

[ICUP]

NO, this is N4G.

[IntelligentAj]

I don't think so because 6-7 lines it says "Tendered Offer" and I'm sure everyone knows what a tendered offer is.

[MikeGdaGod]

i was going to say the same thing. thank you

[Mystery_Person]

I know. I didn't read the full thing but it says EA has OFFERED. OFFERED. Doesn't mean they'll go for it. Why can't EA just go die in a hole

[Ri0tSquad]

I just believe it's going to happen.

[Ri0tSquad]

There goes GTA!

[ICUP]

Come on SONY buy T2 already, it a perfect match.

[supremacy]

lol i wish, but i rather them buy sega instead, please don't ask me why, but personally sega or sega sammy as its call now,just has too many properties that cover enough different fields,including hardware that sony could make use of to fill the ps store with retro or even create its own VC as well, you know sega master, genesis, saturn, dreamcast what? plus than you simply add psone, pstwo to that and there you go. compatible and playable with both psp and ps3 systems.

now as far as games go, man look sega is fill with them, virtua fighter, virtua cops, sega daytona,zombie revenge, toe jam n earl, shinobi, streets of rage, ultra beast, otagi, jet set radio, space channel 5, shenmue, golden axe, skies of Arcadia, phantasy star online, sonic, panzer dragoon, monkey ball, house of the dead, sega gt, out run, nights, virtua tennis and many more that are scat erred around i mean think about this sony would than have something to answer pretty much anything else on the market. shinobi could say.. go against ninja gaiden?

virtua fighters and what this acquisition could do for... say for sony and namco think virtua fighters vs tekken a fighting versus, now that would blow sucks off, than you'll add sega's rpgs with sony's and bamm the console war is pretty much over. and if you want add sammy's few in there and their arcade and casino machines resources as another venue for money.

now that would be a much better acquisition if you ask me, of course thats just my personal opinion.

but to me i guess either would be good in either case.

[cLiCK_sLiCK9]

I think it would be smarter if they buy TAKE 2 instead..
Take 2 Has GTA and Some Sport Games(one of the main reasons why EA Wants Take2,besides GTA).

Hpoefully Take 2 denies the offer...
If they take the deal...GTA5 might not be an exclusive...

[ICUP]

:o "wall of texts"

l love GTA series a lot and hold it very close to me and not wanting it ruining by EA, that why l pick Sony is because they have a track record of having a lot of paition with their developers and not rushing them. :)

[supremacy]

man i now i think i want to get my money back, wow i never felt so sick to my stomach until now, excuse me guys i have to go take a number 2, lol just kidding, man... but seriously now i don't feel like buying this game anymore, i feel like ill be doing EA a favor by doing so.

that is if this deal goes down...please don't sell out, have faith in your product as of now everyone is on your side even analyst as well.

[Mr_Kuwabara]

It's going to suck to see that ugly f****** EA logo on GTAIV now....

EDIT: Upon further reading, I saw that this is just the old offer made by EA to acquire Take Two, it still hasn't expired though, it says the 18th of April or if the offer is further extended.

So I'm still in a dilemma.....

[Hydrolex]

GTA was the godfather, now it's death.

another godfather is taking the place and it's called

Saints Row.

GTA funeral on April 29 2008

Sam Houser goes back to home with 2 bill lol

[KBDuB]

Have you played the first Saints Row? I enjoyed it, so if GTA is done, at least Saints Row is there to fill the void.... for now.

[Archaeox]

@1.1

I agree, saints row is pretty fun, especialy throwing grenades inside cars, getting inside the cargo space in those big trucks, and blowing up oil trucks

GTA IV better have explosions, sounds, and cars to get inside like cargo trucks

[poos3]

ILL CLARIFY SOMETHING TO FANBOYS OK THERE WIL LNO LONGER BE ANY PS3 EXCLSUIVE after this take over belive in me there will be no rockstar exclusive to the ps3 of in fact it was true and not fanboys dreams liek most stories on here

[Mr PS3]

Let me clarify something for you

First learn to spell retard

Second -bubble buttnuggett

Third No PS3 Exclusive's after this takeover ? Ok keep dreaming c0ckring wearer

[You bought an Xbox]

You Bought an Xbox

Ha Ha

[Z F1GHT3RS]

who let the KNOB GOBBLERS OUT(aka poos3 drones/infected)

[champ420]

Do some research dude R* is at the end with their contract with take 2. So while EA might acquire the GTA name and Take2, R* will be free to develop for whoever they wish. Xbox fans just better hope Sony doesn't offer to take R* under their wing because then they can say good bye to the goodness that is R*.......

[KidMakeshift]

It's nice to see the game industry go the same way as television/film, and by that I mean straight down the drain.

Once in awhile you'll get a nice gem, but for the most part you're just digging through crap

[Breakfast]

lol.

Which do you think has more sequels...the movie industry or the video game industry?

[KidMakeshift]

The only stand alone titles that exist are "failed" titles. Anything that's successful nowadays has to be milked out and turned into a franchise.

It's not necessarily a bad thing, but companies like EA aren't going to take risks on niche titles like "Okami" anymore, which is extremely disappointing.

I still have faith in Japan Studio and Team Ico. I'd love to see Studio Ghibli or Miyazaki get involved in the game industry

[RecSpec]

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

(have to put a sarcasm tag here, seeing how people think the deal is done, lol)

[MikeGdaGod]

guys it say "tendered". it has not happened yet.

relax

[PROGnosis]

yeah, its not the end of the world...yet

[kingOVsticks]

chilax lets not get are panties in a bunch just yet, nothing went down sobcool but worst case scenario if it does happen T_T

Stan:OMG! They killed the gta series

Kyle:You

Gamers worldwide:BASTARDS!!!!!!!

basically.

[Bathyj]

Why would they sell before GTA comes out?

That wold be so stupid. Obviously EA is desperate to do just that because their share price will go way up after.

Typical Ea, they cant make a game that everyone loves so they'll just buy the people who can, whether they like it or not.

"Soon all your games are belong to us !"

[GutZ31]

each share is worth "$42.50 per Unit" from Take Two.
So, EA is offering to pay half of what its worth?