Activision eyeing Take Two?

[Karooo]

Wild rumour suggests approach may be made for Grand Theft Auto publisher

 

An eventful week for Activision rolls on: rumours are circulating at the highest level that the company is eyeing a shock acquisition of rival Take-Two.

 

If true, and if successful, the bid would bring blockbuster brands and hit studios under one roof – Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, BioShock and World at Warcraft, all living together.

 

On Wednesday, Activision proved it isn't afraid to abandon any under performing franchise as it focuses on the best of the best. Adding teams like Irrational and Rockstar Games to its stable would only underline that.

 

This week it cut short the life of both Guitar Hero and DJ Hero and canceled free-roaming action title True Crime: Hong Kong – but this has left the publisher with gap in its slate of IP which Take-Two's games would capably fill.

 

"There are very strong rumours amongst people at a very senior level within the global business," a senior executive told MCV this week.

 

"But there're not much more than that at the moment – they are just rumours. And, of course, given Activision's news this week, everyone is now looking to see what their next move is. But you can definitely put two and two together and make four-ish."

 

Call of Duty remains the publisher's key console franchise, along with Bungie's still mysterious 'universe' and the upcoming Prototype sequel. It also currently owns the games rights to key licenses such as James Bond, X-Men, Transformers, Spider-Man and Bakugan

 

Then of course there's the core Blizzard stable of titles – World of Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo.

 

It could be that the killing off of True Crime: Hong Kong, a title that was believed to be almost entirely complete prior to cancellation, is being seen as a possible sacrificial lamb to benefit the fortunes of Grand Theft Auto and is simply fuelling the rumour.

But our source added that Bobby Kotick still has a huge desire to cement Activision's position as the world's leading global publisher.

 

Earlier this week Take-Two reported a seven per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to $40.8m for the quarter ending December 31st 2010. Since Friday February 4th shares in the company have risen 11.6 per cent.

 

Activision has a proven track record of big-money moves, with its 2008 merger with Blizzard proving a resolute success. It's also not afraid to shut under performing developers and, conversely, plough seemingly endless resources into projects in which it has confidence.

 

For example, it is understood that a total of five studios (Treyarch, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer, Raven, Beachhead) are currently working on Call of Duty.

 

Indeed, as part of Activision's financial report this week publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg stated that the company "intends to devote our time and resource to the areas, where we have true competitive advantages and the potential to make gaming experiences that are best-in-class".

 

If the rumours are true, however, Activision could well be expecting strong resistance from Take-Two. In 2008 EA attempted a hostile takeover of the publisher valued at around $2bn – an amount that represented a hefty premium over the company's actual share value.

 

Take-Two though remained resolute in its defiance of the move, ignoring several extended deadlines and public statements of intent from EA boss John Riccitiello. Take-Two's then executive chairman Strauss Zelnick branded the bid as "inadequate".

 

Of course, that was 2008. In the time that has followed there have been changes at Take-Two, most notably the increased stake of media magnate and billionaire Carl Icahn. In 2010 it was rumoured that Icahn, who is a former chairman and now a major shareholder of rental chain Blockbuster, was prepping Take-Two for acquisition.

 

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43003/Activision-eyeing-Take-Two-swoop

 

 

Ermm, Is this a good idea?

[Big Boss]

Just read that article and came here to post this.

I really think with cancellation of True Crime, their interest in GTA is visible. I hope it doesn't happen, because Activision being money hungry, will surely have stringent dead lines and hence GTA will suffer.

[The Assassin]

If Acti takes over Take-Two,then GTA V AT 3.5K

[killzone123]

If Acti takes over Take-Two,then GTA V AT 3.5K

but see the bright side..we will have gta5,6,7,8,9 every year on

[CM Sunny]

let booby nodi*k be more pawerfail

assassinating him would be more satisfying

[Death Stryke]

but see the bright side..we will have gta5,6,7,8,9 every year on

 

true that

[Aftrunner]

Let them go for it. Dont care much about anything TT is putting out.

[Pushy]

don't spew nonsense co*kty

SuckTi DONOTWATNZ!

DONOTWANTZ GTA every year >:/

[Aftrunner]

 

Now I actually want it to happen. GO ACTIVISION!

[R a g h u]

This is becoming tiresome.Acquiring best selling game developer companies through releasing half worked projects under the name of CoD has become a habit for activision.in the end it's the gamers who suffer by paying lots of money for their favorite games.

[spindoctor]

 

I really think with cancellation of True Crime, their interest in GTA is visible. I hope it doesn't happen, because Activision being money hungry, will surely have stringent dead lines and hence GTA will suffer.

 

i think that saying true crime was canceled for gta is really, really speculative. conspiracy theory level of speculative imo. i'm actually surprised that people are reacting so strongly about true crime being canceled... both of the games so far were pretty crappy in my opinion, and didn't do well with the critics or in the market either. the fact that activision actually commissioned a 3rd game in the series was more of a surprise to me than the actual cancellation of the title.

 

as for gta suffering because of activision deadlines, i doubt that. look at how they've managed blizzard these past few years... they've let them do pretty much whatever they want to. blizzard sets it's own deadlines and seemingly doesn't release until they are comfortable that the game is done. pretty sure rockstar would be able to do just the same if they were under activision control.

[HundredProofSam]

Ermm, Is this a good idea?

Is this rhetorical?

[Big Boss]

^True Crime was almost complete, and to cancel it at this stage seems fishy.

And the first True Crime game got rave reviews and was a nice change from GTA. Hong Kong was supposed to come in Fall 2011, and did not have much competition in that time zone. It would have done well.

 

About GTA suffering, thats a maybe, hopefully they will become sensible and give R* their time.

[HundredProofSam]

As for gta suffering because of activision deadlines, i doubt that. look at how they've managed blizzard these past few years... they've let them do pretty much whatever they want to. blizzard sets it's own deadlines and seemingly doesn't release until they are comfortable that the game is done.

That's coz Vivendi (which owns Blizzard) had the majority stake in the Activison-Blizzard merger. They'll start pulling sh*t with CoD before the touch any of the Blizzard properties. If Activision buys Take-Two, don't expect them to be nearly as respectful of Take-Two's IP because that will be a buyout and they can do what they please with those IP.

[Bulovski]

WTF This has got to be the biggest flamebait article posted this year. April Fool's started early?

 

as for gta suffering because of activision deadlines, i doubt that. look at how they've managed blizzard these past few years... they've let them do pretty much whatever they want to. blizzard sets it's own deadlines and seemingly doesn't release until they are comfortable that the game is done. pretty sure rockstar would be able to do just the same if they were under activision control.

What Sam said. Blizzard has got hands of big brother over them.

[spindoctor]

 

And the first True Crime game got rave reviews and was a nice change from GTA.

 

 

i dunno man. the first game is sitting at 68 on metacritic and the second one is at 60. hardly what i'd call rave reviews. i also remember playing the first one and it was terrible.

 

That's coz Vivendi (which owns Blizzard) had the majority stake in the Activison-Blizzard merger. They'll start pulling sh*t with CoD before the touch any of the Blizzard properties. If Activision buys Take-Two, don't expect them to be nearly as respectful of Take-Two's IP because that will be a buyout and they can do what they please with those IP.

 

that's a possibility. it's also possible that they realized that blizzard and wow (or any of their ips) are a gold mine and they didn't want to harm the goose that lays the golden eggs. we'll never really know right?

[Bulovski]

No - Vivendi won't let Kotick touch Blizzard. That's why Activision's name was change to Activision Blizzard - to give Blizzard equal status to Activision. Behind every hot shot headline grabbing CEO is a cold hearted financial bastard who knows not to kill the goose that lays golden eggs.

[Zeehunter]

Activision and EA are always looked as cunning publishers zzzzzzzz

[El Tigre Chino]

but see the bright side..we will have gta5,6,7,8,9 every year on

And over 9000 overpriced car packs, clothes packs,ringtone packs, stripper packs, girlfriends packs,dicks pack.. and what not.. every month. With a game like GTA and Boobby Kotick ..the possibilities are endless.

[Pushy]

FU Sucky D!ck...burn in hell SucktiVision