EA bids for GTA Firm

[Andeeh]

EA bids for Grand Theft Auto firm

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44448000/jpg/_44448573_grandtheft_ap_203b.jpg Grand Theft Auto IV will be released on 29 April

US video game giant Electronic Arts has made an unsolicited $1.9bn (£968m) offer for the owner of Grand Theft Auto, Take-Two Interactive Software.
EA said it had gone public with its all-share offer after having pursued it privately since December.
Take-Two immediately rejected the offer, which was 50% higher than its closing price on Friday.
Its management said that EA was trying to pick up the company cheaply ahead of April's release of Grand Theft Auto IV.
"Electronics Arts' proposal provides insufficient value to our shareholders and comes at absolutely the wrong time," Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick said in a statement.
Latest round
But EA's chief executive John Riccitiello tried to appeal directly to shareholders.
"There can be no certainty that in the future EA or any other buyer would pay the same high premium we are offering today," he said. EA added it was offering $26 a share, after Take-Two rejected $25 a share earlier this month. If the deal were to go through it would be the latest round of consolidation in the gaming industry, following Activision's $18bn acquisition of the gaming unit of France's Vivendi, which was announced in November.


What it seems they are trying to buy it just before realease of GTA4. Clever one but taketwo aint budging.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7262328.stm - Source

[jesus]

That's an outrageous amount to pay. I'm glad they aren't accepting because EA would just make the game go downhill.

[mangle]

Gosh , EA need to let other firms at least compete with them!

If take two accept , its nuts for GTA.

[Mario]

if they do accept and GTA gets ruined that'll a load of games EA have ruined, first the CnC series (after 2001) and now this.

[---MAD---]

That's an outrageous amount to pay. I'm glad they aren't accepting because EA would just make the game go downhill.
Doubt thats possible now its far too late. The game is probably already finished and set away for manufacturing or is about to be. We are at the end of february now ;).

I read at gamespot.com that the move was actually for the sports division not the GTA franchise.

[jesus]

Doubt thats possible now its far too late. The game is probably already finished and set away for manufacturing or is about to be. We are at the end of february now ;).

I read at gamespot.com that the move was actually for the sports division not the GTA franchise.I meant the game in general (future games etc.) :P

Does GTA fall into 'sports' then or is that meaning that they aren't even interested in GTA?

[Andeeh]

I meant the game in general (future games etc.) :P

Does GTA fall into 'sports' then or is that meaning that they aren't even interested in GTA?


Tbh i thought they was gonna buy them for the money they will get wen GTA4 is out

Gta is probbably done just tweeking it all up ;) so they cant ruin that.

[---MAD---]

I meant the game in general (future games etc.) :P

Does GTA fall into 'sports' then or is that meaning that they aren't even interested in GTA?

Future of GTA is a good point actually. And no gta isn't a sport :P.

[jesus]

Future of GTA is a good point actually. And no gta isn't a sport :P.I know, I asked because of the point you made about them buying sports and I thought this might be included somehow because of how it was described.

If they kept the same developers etc. with it then it shouldn't change a lot but I'm sure there would be some noticable differences in future games if it did change hands.

[Agent 47]

One of the big wigs at EA confirmed that they waited until GTAIV was finished till they made the bid. That must mean that it's either finished or in the final testing stage. :)

[Technologic]

I'm glad Take-Two aren't buding. EA are crap at games

[brandon]

Back off EA.

[Ashley 12344]

I think GTA will be next to finished, if not finished altogether. By the pre-order offers, their making pretty much as many copies as they will need for a few months post release ready for the actual relase.

[Neil]

I read about this yesterday, apparently they've been after GTA4 for a few months now, Take Two wont accept though, EA see GTA4 as the biggest game of the year and know it will rack the sales up so high they can't compete with anything, I don't want EA to have anything to do with GTA4, if EA get hold of it the online will stink because it'd be hosted on EA servers

[---MAD---]

I know, I asked because of the point you made about them buying sports and I thought this might be included somehow because of how it was described.

If they kept the same developers etc. with it then it shouldn't change a lot but I'm sure there would be some noticable differences in future games if it did change hands.

Thing is EA have ruined so many good franchises after they bought them. They dominate a lot of the gaming market so they can afford to make crappy games. You have little choice you either don't play any games or play them.

[Jamesy]

Thing is EA have ruined so many good franchises after they bought them. They dominate a lot of the gaming market so they can afford to make crappy games. You have little choice you either don't play any games or play them.


Exactly, they invade everything, make bad, rushed games and strangle development and eventually end up making the, already late, game into about 5 expansion packs.

*cough* spore.

[Technologic]

Exactly, they invade everything, make bad, rushed games and strangle development and eventually end up making the, already late, game into about 5 expansion packs.

*cough* spore.
Oh god no. I didn't know EA were developing spore? I wa slookign forwards to it too >_<

[Jamesy]

Well they took over maxis which was sims, sim city and made societies and sims 2. Both are bad compared to the originals.

[mangle]

Its 100% done on BOTH systems. They're just making the final touches :]

[Fez]

EA didn't do bad with the port of Orange Box. but that was from their fairly new Swiss HQ.

I keep feeling that EA now has enough money to actually plan and distribute an actual console.

[Technologic]

EA didn't do bad with the port of Orange Box. but that was from their fairly new Swiss HQ.

I keep feeling that EA now has enough money to actually plan and distribute an actual console.
It wouldn't be economically viable... I mean every gamer either has a ps3 or 360 so who would buy it?

They'd have to wait untill the 8th gen consoles are released which'll be about 5-6years

[mangle]

EA Should focus less on buying games companies and just go make a fantastic sandbox style games. Lets face it , sandbox games always do well!

[Slowpoke]

EA buy everything pfft. and I agree with above, sandbox games rule :).

[Andeeh]

Ea are one of most sucessful franchises i have to say.

But they dont deserve to take this away.

it wont affect gta4.

[Neil]

Ea are one of most sucessful franchises i have to say.

But they dont deserve to take this away.

it wont affect gta4.

They're only successful because they own so many games, a large percent of developers are owned by EA which is how they earn any money at all

GTA4 online will be effected because it'd be held on EA servers

[Tristan]

Yeah, I believe that it's finished as I was reading a review about the new features in it. Like, it's becoming well more interactive.