Take-Two rebounds on buyout rumors

New York Post reports the Grand Theft Auto maker is in active talks with several interested parties; stock gains 10 percent on the day.

It would be tough to argue that last week was anything but a bad week for Take-Two, but this week is off to a much better start.

Take-Two's stock price jumped 10 percent today, up $1.50 to $16.19. Shares were trading hands at almost four times the average daily volume, spurred by reports in Saturday's edition of The New York Post that the company could be the subject of a buyout in the near future.

An unnamed source "close to the company" told The Post that Take-Two was in "active talks" with several buyers. It's uncertain how close to the company the source really is, as he or she apparently goofed on the name of one of Take-Two's biggest titles of 2005.

"For a fund, it is a bet that the cash flows from sales of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Liberty City Tales, and new management could get around the growing liabilities," the paper quoted the source as saying.

The stock had cooled somewhat in after-hours trading, down almost 2 percent to $15.87.

60 Comments

  • sugreev2001

    Posted Feb 23, 2006 6:17 am PT

    EA would spoil their games.I hope they don't sell their stakes to them.

  • ajadoniz

    Posted Feb 6, 2006 1:51 pm PT

    I doubt EA will make a bid for TTWO because of the following reasons: EA's recent filing where it missed projected earnings and it's commitment to reduce expenses (pink-slips, etc.). Although it would be to a great advantage for them to snatch up TTWO, they don't have the money for this huge acquisition. If I were to choose a company to buy TTWO, I would be MSFT. Mr. Softy would land a huge blow to Sony by eliminating the first-to-PS GTA and in case the PS still is the console receiving the most demand for GTA... MSFT will still profit.

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 9:06 am PT

    "Liberty City Tales"

  • MedevilDragon

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 4:13 am PT

    Why do a publisher like 2K that makes grate games make so less $, when **** EA makes $$$$?

    Has everyone lost their good taste in games?

  • Mr_Unknown

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:53 pm PT

    I agree with DefChaz - it'll likely be a company outside of the gaming universe - something like an old-style media company wanting to get into games. Either that or a financial player that'll take them private and put their operations in order.

  • CCGrifter

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 3:20 pm PT

    Hopefully Sony buys them if Microsoft or EA bought them I wouldn't know what to do. I want the next GTA to be on the PS3 so it can be bigger and if EA or MS bought it MS would only make it for 360 and EA would just make a halfass ps3 port.

  • davahsa

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 2:00 pm PT

    M$ will out-bid Everyone if Take2 sales...and they should. That would be a fresh start.

  • SLAYERPSP

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 12:17 pm PT

    god i hope its microsoft who buys them that would be huge say good by to gta on the psp and ps2 ps3 that would be huge for ms i hope thats what happens

  • rencie

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 12:07 pm PT

    By buying Take Two, the purchasing company will also be taking on the burden of dealing with the "Hot Coffee" scandal as well as the negative image of Grand Theft Auto. What company would want to put themselves in this situation? I doubt Sony or Microsoft want to do that. EA or Activision are more likely candidates.

  • DefChaz

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 11:35 am PT

    You're all pretty convinced its either a software house or a publisher thats considering buying out Take-Two. But in today's climate I'd be much more convinced if its a private investor firm no-one's ever heard of that buys them. Enough companies are backed by unknown investors that aren't interested in their business, but want a piece of the profit pie. After all the games industry is bigger than the film industry. It'd be a very big pie.

    What with all this courtroom shenanigans Take-Two is going to be at a bargain price no doubt.

  • vicelibertydre

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 11:34 am PT

    If Sony or Microsoft had the GTA games and all of the 2K sports series it would make their next gen console the winner. They probably won't though. I'm hoping for either Ubisoft or Activision. Less likely, but still possible, is Vivendi. Please not EA.

  • Petri87

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 11:14 am PT

    PMB960 wrote:
    EA legally coundn't buy take two. They would then own such a huge portion of the market that they could do what ever they wanted. It would be considered a monopoly.
    -------
    Dude you seriously dont know anything do you.

  • grasu

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 11:03 am PT

    You're all forgeting that the only company to EVER buy out a publisher was EA. Neither Sony, nor Microsoft have made such a huge investment; maybe because their console business is **** when compared to the rest and spending $500,000,000 (plus paying out all of the debts) on a single company is just not that smart.

  • Allan_X

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 10:45 am PT

    I hope Microsoft buys Take-Two.

    Know why? Bungie published Oni through Take-Two, meaning that they don't have the license to it since they're owned by Microsoft now. If Microsoft also owned Take-Two, they would have access to the Oni franchise.

    In that case, there would be a chance of seeing a sequel!

  • MartinMan

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 10:20 am PT

    I hope to GOD EA doesn't buy R* .

  • paradyme777

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 9:39 am PT

    Ubisoft, or Activision would be sweet.

  • ljelman

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 9:30 am PT

    EA would never buy take two as EA doesn't produce m rated games

  • Kiaininja

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 9:13 am PT

    I bet it's Sony that's going to buyout Take-Two. Sony recently bought the developers of Killzone and Socom. So since Take-Two's GTA series always comes out on a Sony system first were they make the most money, its logical it's Sony.

  • GOLIATHtheGREAT

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 8:26 am PT

    Hopfully its either Ubisoft, Activision, or M$

  • arjnav

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 8:25 am PT

    I doubt it's EA. Sad to see this happen though. Hopefully the GTA series will live on.

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 8:12 am PT

    Eh... the buyout thing is a RUMOR people. I like it actually, with the stock going down artificially because the wacko's in LA trying to sue them for the hot coffee thing, and this rumor it is making some people very very rich indeed.

    WTF is the big deal with the hot coffee mod anyway? Its not like you can crack open the box and play it as is, you have to modify the game first. Silly asses.

  • Viquist

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 8:06 am PT

    Yeah, I couldn't care less for Rockstar and most of TTWO's games. I think Sony would pay whatever price it took to get them though because their games are system sellers. Not to mention they would also own a few rights to sports games and everything else that would then be exclusive to their consoles. Thus making 360 even more of a Dreamcast (though I liked Dreamcast) - but if it isn't them, I would like for it to be a company that knows what they're doing and how to do it like Ubisoft, or VUG, or Activision.

  • Donkeljohn Site moderator

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:44 am PT

    Ordinarily I would say "let them die" . . . but a demand for their products exists, even if the business is not run well.

  • slow-pc

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:37 am PT

    MSStudios ... that would be nice.

  • ufopuller

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:26 am PT

    LOL Bring 'em on!

  • rgsniper1

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:24 am PT

    Sony is already in a financial crunch so it may be hard for them to swallow the price i'm guessing Take Two would go for. Not that they wouldn't attempt it, I mean they would have to. MS could i'm sure, if they did I wouldn't really care either way as I don't like Rockstar games at all. It would be interesting to see if EA were to be allowed to buy Take Two for reasons stated.

    I'm one of the few I know, but I'm kinda laughting inside at the problems they have gotten into with things like "hot coffee". I thought it was a dumb and childish move for Rockstar when they let it get published. Now they are paying the price. No i'm not related to JT in any way. And no I don't agree with him at all. But still I don't like Rockstar at all and think in a way they are getting exactly what they ask for, controversy. Congrats to them.

  • Kwiksilva

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:22 am PT

    Take Two is not going to sell when they got franchises like Grand Theft Auto that make them millions of dollars each year.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:15 am PT

    I sure as hell hope it isn't EA.

  • AoNHagen

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 7:04 am PT

    Please no!
    It is way too stupid that hot coffe brought Take two to this.
    I hate EA becase they have bought another houses like WestWood and turn them into nothing

    ****** EA if you buy them!

  • Steve_Hicks

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 6:59 am PT

    I seriously doubt it'll be anyone other than Sony or Microsoft who buys take-two, they both want the next GTA on their systems only, making the millions of people who play GTA buy their system.

  • bryehngeocef

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 6:38 am PT

    There IS a DOA volleyball NUDE patch, by the way...

    The only entertainment companies that could pull this off are EA, and Vivendi Universal

  • LordDante360

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 6:33 am PT

    cant see them selling out as there come back strong as they know they can make the cash back easy....

  • mrjack5304

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 6:30 am PT

    I dont think anyone is going to be buying Take Two. Just because they are hitting some rough times, I don't see them seeking out a buyer. I also don't see the NY Post as all that legitimate of a paper and on top of that the article couldn't even get the name of the game right. I say Take Two rides it out until Liberty City Stories releases, sells a million copies within a month and is completely back on their feet.

  • tatu2004

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 5:20 am PT

    Mircosoft or sony should buy Take Two.......if they have to sell up.

  • matparkerbinbro

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 5:13 am PT

    The five most likely parties to buy T2
    1.EA
    2.Rupert Murdoch
    3.Bill Gates
    4.Sony
    5.Others

  • Gunblade20

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 2:23 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • kozanecki GameSpot staff member

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 1:20 am PT

    sony need to pull a microsoft here and take care of them

  • Igiss

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 12:35 am PT

    If someone would buy Take-Two, most probably it will be Activision. They need some replacement for lousy True Crime.

  • FuguNabe

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 11:55 pm PT

    Imagine them being brought out by Tecmo..... LOL... Extreme Beach GTA with a ninja as main character and lotsa boobs.... Seriously though I don't really care. GTA games are getting stale now. I can't see anything new they can offer besides more pushing the rating stuff that people gets hyped up for no reason for. And the people that gets sucked into it call themselves mature game-players.... yea right!? SMH

  • kaito2

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 11:17 pm PT

    I'll go with Sony possibly buying them out, too. I don't think EA will buy them out because it generally shys away from anything controversial. Although, Jack Thompson did find The Sims to be offensive. Of course, almost everything about video games offends him.

  • Sociologist

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 10:17 pm PT

    Wow, if EA bought them out I would set myself in fire in front of their coroporate office in protest! Seriously though, an EA buyout of take 2 would bring the video game industry to its knees. It would be a very sad day for people considered with the integrity and QA of their games. Moreover, if EA did buy out Take 2, we can be sure that we would see a Grand Theft Auto 2006, Grand Theft Auto 2007, Grand Theft Auto 2008, etc. etc.

  • chrontricross

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 10:14 pm PT

    take two had it in for them since they came up with the stupid games. enough said

  • dru26

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 10:11 pm PT

    If Ea was to buy them out I think they would have every sports title under their control.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 9:59 pm PT

    interesting........

  • PMB960

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 9:16 pm PT

    EA legally coundn't buy take two. They would then own such a huge portion of the market that they could do what ever they wanted. It would be considered a monopoly.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 8:30 pm PT

    I seriously hope it's Ubisoft... man that would be awesome.

  • TacoJelly

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 8:15 pm PT

    *($^%%#!!!! I was seriously considering buying like 100 shares of them like 2 days ago!!!

  • hush404

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 8:10 pm PT

    I would flip if EA bought them out! Companies have got to stand up against EA so that not every game is published or developed by EA.

  • ghettocheeze

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 8:06 pm PT

    I think Sony will end up buying TTWO or atleast steal away Rockstar and let others (M$) vulture the rest.

  • Thailfish

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 8:00 pm PT

    come on Microsoft buy them, then you'll be able to stomp Sony, do it do it

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