I just received an e-mail from Amazon stating that Grand Theft Auto IV is now available. I checked the website and it's still pre-order....anyone else see this e-mail? WTF?

It's available... for preorder. They send me those a lot since I usually buy my games from Amazon.

Delete This Thread! :d

gta4 will be delayed (again) after ea buys take two tonight. just wait.


(for the first time ever, i hope that i'm wrong)

gta4 will be delayed (again) after ea buys take two tonight. just wait.


(for the first time ever, i hope that i'm wrong)

I've been away from my computer today, what kinda info are you working with?

gta4 will be delayed (again) after ea buys take two tonight. just wait.


(for the first time ever, i hope that i'm wrong)

You really believe this...? Really? :confused:

I don't think it's likely to get delayed but this isn't doing anything for my confidence.
http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/taketwo-sued-over-ea-buyout/?biz=1

Today, Take-Two revealed that they are being sued by a shareholder for not selling the company to Electronic Arts. Michael Maulano is accusing Take-Two of being at fault in their fiscal duties by not talking to EA and for engaging in various measures to protect themselves from being bought out. This suit is different from the one that came about in early March.


On the other hand maybe Take-Two could just say "screw it" and release GTA4 early. Yeah I'm dreaming.

You really believe this...? Really? :confused:

that ea will buy take two? absolutely. it will be a sad day for gaming, that's for sure.

think about it: instead of sprunk, it will be sprite. instead of the blueberry, it will be the real blackberry. instead of all of the clever billboards, there will be huge burger king adverts everywhere. not to mention the gratuitous use of dlc. it's going to suck if and when it happens. i just hope that take 2 can pull off a hail mary, consequently sending ea packing.

they'll basically rape the franchise into nonexistence.

Before this thread closes, let me assure everyone......this game will not be delayed, anymore.

I've been away from my computer today, what kinda info are you working with?

kotaku.

Before this thread closes, let me assure everyone......this game will not be delayed, anymore.

and just what type of info are you working with?

gta4 will be delayed (again) after ea buys take two tonight. just wait.


(for the first time ever, i hope that i'm wrong)

Take two is owned by Zelnick Capital. Its a hedge fund in NYC. I used to do their IT consulting. I called my contacts there and they said nothing about EA acquiring Take Two. Now obviously with sarbanes oxley they might be withholding BUT you never know

that ea will buy take two? absolutely.

No, I was referring to your absolute statement saying "gta4 will be delayed (again) after ea buys take two tonight. just wait." That was my "really?" part.

It went GOLD today. So, no its not going to be delayed.

Take Two Interactive's President Strauss Zelnick has just confirmed at the company's annual general meeting that Grand Theft Auto IV has gone gold. "Trucks are rolling next week and there will be a lot of them", he said, confirming that the game discs will be making their way to stores next week ahead of the game's release on April 29th.

The ball is in the shareholder's court.....I don't think they're going to bite until after the 29th.

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/684673/TakeTwo_Discusses_EA_Offer.html

Take-Two's management and company leaders are all recommending that their stockholders reject EA's offer for a buyout at $26 shares.

Take-Two still believes that EA's offer is "still at the wrong price and is still at the wrong time." They believe it is timed to take advantage of the Grand Theft Auto IV release and take control of the company before it becomes profitable so they can reap the benefits when it does.

Take-Two believes they are creating stockholder value due to strategies and revitalization plans that have begun to show results.

They were successful in initiating a $25 million cost reduction for their business and expect to be profitable in 2008.

They are, however, still open to discusses option with any company on April 30th, the day after GTA IV releases.

Looks like it's up to the shareholders, but we think they are going to wait until GTA IV releases before they make any moves.

No way in hell will they delay it. All the promos and advertising have started to appear. If they pull it now they would have wasted millions of dollars.

that ea will buy take two? absolutely. it will be a sad day for gaming, that's for sure.

think about it: instead of sprunk, it will be sprite. instead of the blueberry, it will be the real blackberry. instead of all of the clever billboards, there will be huge burger king adverts everywhere. not to mention the gratuitous use of dlc. it's going to suck if and when it happens. i just hope that take 2 can pull off a hail mary, consequently sending ea packing.

they'll basically rape the franchise into nonexistence.

I heard the sky was falling too.

they just had a meeting. woop dee doo. the buyout is still going to happen. since the game is in production right now, it looks like the delay isn't going to happen. thank god for that. but the next gta game will have an ea logo on it and i won't buy it.

It could have been delayed, but it doesn't look like it will be.

EA needed to buyout take two before GTAIV hit. Take-two execs obviously were racing to get this out before their own shareholders decided to "revolt" and accept EA's hostile takeover bid.

Now the EA takeover is less certain, depending on how well GTA performs in the market and on how well Take-two can get their management/financial practices under control.

Add to all of this the fact that the FTC is still keeping a very close eye on EA's takeover bid for potential monopolistic practices.

Annual shareholder meeting update:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-to-ea-still-wrong-price-wrong-time

Second FTC investigation into EA's business practices:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ftc-issues-second-anti-competitive-inquiry-to-ea

Take Two's shareholders' "revolt":
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-discloses-shareholder-lawsuit

Great post Confidenceman!

Great post Confidenceman!

uh, you're welcome?

um, uh, you're really welcome?

I always wondered how Take Two can be teetering on the cliff of profitability when they sell so many damn games. I know that volume doesn't equal profit, but geez they've had ten years now to figure out their business model, and you'd think with all the megahits in the GTA series they've published there would be some money in the bank.

I always wondered how Take Two can be teetering on the cliff of profitability when they sell so many damn games. I know that volume doesn't equal profit, but geez they've had ten years now to figure out their business model, and you'd think with all the megahits in the GTA series they've published there would be some money in the bank.

Lawsuit, calls for censorship by nocounts trying to make names for themselves and forcing them to spend $$$ to rework or retool games to meet "public" approval might have something to do with it. Look at Manhunt/2 or GTAIV in Australia.

Their marginal profitability is not just about them riding on the edge of public controversy, but it's much more to do with management practices.

Take-Two's already been investigated multiple times for various forms of mismanagement and illegal financial practices (though nothing came of it). Shareholders and employees alike have been perpetually frustrated by poor management. Something's always struck people as "fishy" about how this company runs its business. They shifted around executive management not too long ago (last year, I believe) as a way to stave off those accusations and try to change shareholders' perception.

Of course, this has nothing at all to do with GTAIV. Supposedly, the studio is given enough independence under the Take-Two umbrella that its employees aren't really affected. Take-Two's questionable business practices have a much more appreciable affect on other studios and on their investors.

This is all to say that it may be in shareholders' best interest to sell to EA. EA has already garnered a sizable chunk of the company (just under 10% of shares, I think). But many current shareholders are holding out until after GTAIV.

Great post Confidenceman!

uh, you're welcome?
um, uh, you're really welcome?

LOL :D

I read somewhere before, I think it was in Wired magizine that R* contract with Take 2 ends in like 2009 or 2010.