Analyst "Convinced" That Take-Two Will Be Swallowed

[Zer0-Sum]

Take-Two bigwig Strauss Zelnick may not be interested in selling the company to another buyer, but Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey says the publisher "will eventually be acquired at a meaningful premium to their current share price." Hickey values the Rockstar Games portfolio alone at about $1 billion, which doesn't even begin to cover the other big Take-Two intellectual properties—BioShock, Carnival Games, Civilization—all of which could make the company very attractive to buyers. Sure, it may involve a few headaches when Manhunt 3 kills some poor grandmother because it's just that dangerous, but you've gotta break a few eggs.

Hickey also points to "opportunities" in the GameDaily BIZ report, such as sequels to Red Dead Revolver, Max Payne and a theoretical Grand Theft Auto MMO as nice-to-haves. Maybe I'll just buy them and expense it.

http://kotaku.com/336364/analyst-convinced-that-take+two-will-be-swallowed


I caulk this up as more BS. if they get purchased, let it be Sony or the new Activision Blizzard conglomerate. Please for the love of the Gaming Gods lets it NEVER be EA. Oh that would suck. But I still think it is BS, till it happens at least. Then we all most likely drop jaws at the amount of cash that it will be paid.

[Jay Gee]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Seriously.

[Zer0-Sum]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Seriously.

Any bets on purchase price? I would have no idea myself. I would guess around 500 million to 1 billion.

[Jay Gee]

I'll let Viper handle the numbers, but if it goes, it won't be any amount we can have a serious conversation about.

[masteratt]

I don't get and the article doesn't explain why they have to be 'swallowed'?

Well it hints at low stock prices but then contradicts that by naming awesome great selling franchises, not to mention GTA4 isn't even out yet.

[VideoGame mania]

Bioshock sold well, 2 million and MS gave 50 m for GTA4 content.
If anything they're the ones who could potentially buy them.

[woundingchaney]

MS doesnt seem interested in internal development teams, it would really go against their recent actions for them to acquire T2 (though owning Rockstar would be console success in a nutshell). EA or Ubisoft are possibilities (imo).

[LaLiLuLeLo]

This should be in general gaming. Sawwy.

[XboxEvolved]

I have heard from people I know (that knows some people as unbelievable as it sounds) that Take-Two will be bought up in the near future, and companies like EA and UbiSoft seem the most likely.

Don't count on Sony or MS buying them.

[Zer0-Sum]

I hope it is Ubisoft, but that is just me.

[HolyPaladin]

But it would probably be EA since they're basically a corporate Pac-Man going around gobbling up smaller studio dots and fruit. I can almost hear the wacka-wacka-wacka now.

[Zer0-Sum]

I agree paladin. It will most likely be EA. And if it is, they had better not mess with R* and leave them alone to do their crazy brand of gaming!

[XboxEvolved]

Well I think people misread it, they wont actually be bought out all together, they will merge to increase their capital and weight with another company.

That is the main reason Vivendi and Activision merged.

[curryking1]

I don't get and the article doesn't explain why they have to be 'swallowed'?

Well it hints at low stock prices but then contradicts that by naming awesome great selling franchises, not to mention GTA4 isn't even out yet.

Having high profile franchises doesn't contradict anything. If anything it makes the buying more attractive from another party.**

Case in point - Blizzard. Just purchased by Activision I believe? I don't think they had any financial trouble. They have the biggest cash cow in gaming with World of Warcraft, raking in serious dough by the month, and 3 insanely popular franchises to choose from. Warcraft III is still running strong to this day and Starcraft II's release is not nearly as long off as it used to be.

I don't imagine they were in any trouble with money or lacking in any quality intellectual property yet they still agreed to being bought out. Blizzard was probably mad expensive but Act. saw Blizzard was worth it for now and later.

**Also for R*.... low stock prices but attachment to high profile material, 2K sports and other stuff? Maybe it's a good sale on the business right now if another business is looking for those qualities. Could be a partnership, could be other things too.

[Zer0-Sum]

Actually curryking, Blizzard was all ready owned by Vivendi Universal. It was Vivendi Universal that merged with Activision. Blizzard was just there in the mix, as they really had nothing to do with it all. I guess that are just using the Blizzard name because it is famous.

[curryking1]

Actually curryking, Blizzard was all ready owned by Vivendi Universal. It was Vivendi Universal that merged with Activision. Blizzard was just there in the mix, as they really had nothing to do with it all. I guess that are just using the Blizzard name because it is famous.

Oh really? Well that takes that example out of context lol. Smart to use the Blizzard name, I didn't realise :P

[VonGak]

^ LOL that came as a surprise to me too