taketwo
Latest
Manhunt 2 details confirmed
When Rockstar went ahead and announced Manhunt 2 for the Wii, we couldn't believe such a game would be gracing the system. Not because of the violence such a game possesses, but because of the speculation regarding players acting out the kills with the Wiimote. Shortly after, the website launched and gave us a small glimpse at what the game could offer. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Rockstar game if Jack Thompson didn't try to get it pulled from shelves.Now that Take Two has said they want to focus more on the Wii, we're excited for all the things to come. And, we're excited about Manhunt 2, so when CVG revealed details on the game's story, we found ourselves even more excited. Have we said we're excited?As you may well know, the game focuses on two characters: Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper. Lamb, a doctor, escapes with Kasper, a patient in a mental asylum, after a science experiment goes horribly wrong. They're then chased by The Pickman Project, who want to hide the results of the incident. Also, the environment will be more interactive, allowing the player to take out enemies with toilets (nice) and exposed electronics (we're assuming loose wiring and whatnot).See also: Manhunt 2 boxart revealed?
Loads of new GTAIV details rounded up
With scans of the latest Game Informer hitting the net earlier today, our paymasters at Joystiq have uncovered lots of juicy details about Grand Theft Auto IV. There are so many details, in fact, that it would be impossible to enumerate them without the aid of a bulleted list. Lucky for everyone, we have such a function handy for just this kind of situation. Many of these bits were copied directly from Joystiq because we're lazy to preserve clarity. So, here we go.
GTA IV briefing in Game Informer, multiplayer and more
Game Informer gets the scoop on GTAIV in the May issue (not on "newsstands" yet), getting a peek at the Xbox 360 work-in-progress running on a debug unit. So, what's new besides what we saw in the trailer? Lots. Setting: re-created Liberty City (better mirrors real-world NYC; smaller "geographical mass" than San Andreas, but more densely populated) MetLife building = "Getalife" Statue of Liberty = "Statue of Happiness" DUMBO = "BOABO" (Beneath the Offramp of the Algonquin Bridge Overpass Area includes an adaptation of four of NYC's boroughs (no love for Staten Island), and a section of Jersey: Manhattan = "Algonquin" (The Lenape did speak an Algonquin language from which our word "Manhattan" is derived) Brooklyn = "Broker" Queens = "Dukes" (a duke ranks just below a prince) Bronx = "Bohan" New Jersey = "Alderney" (also named for one of the British Channel Islands -- or a breed of cattle) Main character: Niko Bellic; "Eastern European" ('cause who really keeps track of the countries over there?) Lured to Liberty by cousin Roman's suspicious emails (Roman claims to be living the America Dream: 2 women, 4 hot tubs, and 15 sports cars); Roman actually operates a rundown taxi depot in Broker and has gotten himself into a "load of trouble" NEWS FLASH: "Many of Niko's activities revolve around being a criminal"
Wii Warm Up: Take-Two's Nintendo priority
Take-Two Interactive has been in the news a lot lately. We've seen everything from trailers for GTA IV and the company's very public floundering, but it's the latest that's of particular note to Nintendo fans: Take-Two has stated, quite firmly, that they are committed to producing games for Nintendo.Great! Welcome aboard the good ship Nintendo, where we welcome third party developers. But what will you bring us? Chairman Strauss Zelnick keeps stressing Grand Theft Auto -- even to calling it the company's "James Bond," but will we see a GTA on the Wii? We want specifics! Manhunt 2 isn't enough. If we can't get an original new gen game of our own, what about a port of Rockstar's Table Tennis? That's one port we might not complain about. Anything else you'd like to see Take-Two turn out?
The Political Game: Take Two and the golden parachute
Each week Dennis McCauley contributes The Political Game, a column on the collision of politics and video games:News Item: Fired Take Two CEO Paul Eibeler exits with a golden parachute ...Damn, damn, double damn.In a flash of devastating comprehension it dawns on me that I've got this "road to success" thing completely wrong. All these years I thought working hard, doing the right thing and making my boss look good would help me climb the ladder - and maybe make a few bucks along the way.But the verdict out of Manhattan last week is clear. That's not the way to do it. If you want to tuck a check for a cool $2.5 mil into the pocket of your Armani jacket, if you'd like an $800 monthly car allowance and free health care, here's the game plan:
Reggie talks about third-party support
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal chatted with Reggie Fils-Aime at GDC, and since that show was so rich with creamy, flavorful news, this interview has only now found its way onto the site. The interview is largely on the subject of third-party support for the Wii and DS, and for the most part, Reggie takes personal responsibility for what he sees as positive developments.For example, Reggie seems to credit his own meetings with former Take Two CEO Paul Eibeler for the advent of Wii Manhunt 2. He also claims that his conversations with Laurent Dutoc of Ubisoft led to ... pretty much half the stuff on the Wii. We aren't business experts, so we don't know, but could it really be as simple as that? Is Reggie charismatic enough to personally influence publishers' plans? Or is he using personal terms as a shorthand for more complicated business dealings?
Take Two shareholders oust CEO
Did you catch the Take Two shareholders meeting yesterday? Don't worry if you missed it, the event turned out to be much less dramatic than we had hoped. However, it was not without some ruffled feathers, as now-former CEO Paul Eibeler was shown the door. Taking his place is Ben Feder, a former executive at News Corp, as acting CEO. Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities expresses disappointment that the new management is giving themselves a three- to six-month window. Also, Pachter said of Feder, "he appears to have no meaningful experience managing a large organization, nor does his resume suggest that he has any practical experience in the video game industry."Game Politics has a roundup of more opinions regarding this executive shuffle. Our take, however limited in scope, is that Eibeler was a beacon for bad news. His ousting can only spell an upward trend.
Take-Two board of directors gets carjacked
Following the revelation that Take-Two hadn't found a buyer, news arrives today via GamePolitics that Paul Eibeler, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, has been forced to step down. Take-Two's annual meeting took place yesterday and was quickly taken over by shareholders demanding that Eibeler step down. Strauss Zelnick, former CEO of BMG Entertainment has become the new Chairman of the Board. Ben Feder, coming from News Corp., is now acting CEO.While the change isn't likely to affect Take-Two's lineup of games, it should hopefully help the company shed its reputation for accounting problems and coffee that's just a little too hot. Then again, according to GP, it will take more than a few replacements to make things right. You can bet GTAIV will be watched like a hawk from both inside and outside Take-Two.
GTAIV trailer now on Marketplace
If you're the kind of person who prefers to watch trailers on a television, then you should be pleased to know that the GTAIV trailer is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Whether the trailer is the most masterful or the most over-hyped thing ever created is up to you. Still, we have to say, Liberty City looks mighty pretty, especially in HD. Go download it and begin planning your domination of the Russian crime syndicate today!
GTAIV Trailer is Live 4 realz!
While the official page has worked for some of us here at Fanboy Towers, we have another alternative for you to check into. Xbox.com just added the HD trailer to the Game Detail page. After verifying your age you can check the quick teaser for Rockstar North's masterpiece. Taking place in New York Liberty City, we see a few of the more distinct locales found in Manhattan Liberty City as well as the Statue of Liberty. The narrator (whom we can only assume is the character you play) appears to have a Russian accent and is looking for a fresh start in the city that never sleeps. Graphically speaking, the lighting and character models look light years ahead of any previous GTA title and the score was very foreboding and somber, adding the perfect mood to the teaser. Simply put, we're stoked. What say you, fanboys?
Take-Two and Rockstar on the Road To Ruin
You're probably wondering how we got to the point where reporting on an annual meeting of stockholders makes for compelling news, especially if you're one of those weirdos who, you know, actually plays video games. If you haven't been following the long-running drama of how Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar just can't seem to do any good, Wired's got you covered. The story of which makes for a much more interesting read than the aforementioned meeting.In "The Road To Ruin," David Kushner takes you from Rockstar's meager beginnings to their modern day failures, including the actual Grand Theft Auto franchise falling on its face. With Rockstar getting back in the groove of shoving GTA down our throats, all while still dealing with their internal drama, now would be a good time to see what all the fuss has been about beyond "Hot Coffee" and he-who-must-not-be-named. So you can just sit there and keep playing and enjoying your video games.. or you can do something that matters. Like care about stockholders.
Take-Two finds no buyers, to face shareholders Thursday
After postponing a shareholder meeting so as to court potential buyers, publisher Take-Two has announced that no deal has been made and the company will proceed with the shareholder meeting Thursday without any company interested in purchasing the controversy-laden publisher.How bad will the meeting be for Take Two? Game Politics predicts that several major stockholders are planning to revolt, CEO Paul Eibeler will be ousted from his position and "T2-hatin' shareholder Jack 'RICO' Thompson may gain access to the microphone and spew his particular brand of vitriol at Eibeler and Take Two management."Here's a plan: seeing as Thursday's event will be extremely entertaining, why not sell tickets to the event or broadcast the meeting, with advertising, on the internet? There's no perceivable way that the publisher will have an optimistic outcome, so they might as well monetize the entertaining disaster.
Take-Two saga continues: no buyers yet
It seems Take-Two just can't catch a break. After the golden towers of Take-Two were ransacked by angry shareholders demanding that CEO Paul Eibeler step down, Take-Two announced that it was postponing its annual meeting to come up with alternative solutions. Alternative solutions, in this case, means selling the company. TeamXbox has received word from Take-Two that the company is "unlikely to present alternative courses of action prior to the annual meeting on March 29th." In other words, it looks like Take-Two hasn't managed to find a buyer (not even Microsoft).Expect more Take-Two drama to unfold during the company's annual meeting this Thursday.
Grand Theft Auto IV's 30 minute infomercial
Last night the guys over at Gamertag Radio were channel surfing and ran across an interesting countdown clock on FX. It looked familiar, but was it really an ad for Grand Theft Auto IV? Yes indeed, it was an infomercial for GTA IV, but was lacking any real substance. Rockstar purchased a 30 minute spot on FX airing from 2:00AM EST to 2:30AM EST to show nothing more than a simple countdown clock (viewable above) complete with loud ticking sound. This is the same clock that appears on the official GTA IV website which is counting down to our first glimpse of the game. Let's just say this trailer better be something special Rockstar, because teasing us with a long and dull infomercial doesn't make us happy. Next week we'll see what you have to offer ... next week.
Rumorang: Microsoft not buying Take-Two
Quelling rumors that Microsoft is bidding on the ailing Take-Two, Shane Kim has confirmed to CNN that Microsoft has no such intention. According to the CNN article, taking over an independent publisher that creates games for multiple platforms would actually create a revenue loss, as all Take-Two's development would be shifted to the 360 alone. Said Kim, "We could never launch an acquisition bid at a third party publisher."As for parties that are interested in the company, speculation ranges from Ubisoft to Elevation Partners (of which U2's Bono is a member) to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The article also suggests, as others have suggested in the past, that Take-Two may be sold in pieces, offering up divisions like 2K Sports and Rockstar Games instead of Take-Two being sold as a whole.[Via DCEmu]
Microsoft to buy Take-Two? [update 1]
Update: Looks like Microsoft's Shane Kim has officially quashed this rumor. Details here.On Monday, Take-Two announced that it was delaying its annual meeting as a result of major shareholders requesting that CEO Paul Eibeler step down. The company delayed the meeting in order to come up with alternative solutions, with the most likely alternative being to sell the company. A trustworthy source from Rockstar Vancouver has told WorthPlaying that Microsoft may have already put in a bid to purchase the company (or at least expressed interest in doing so). With Take-Two in tow, Microsoft would own Grand Theft Auto, one of the most successful franchises in the industry. While this is a rumor of the highest order, the possibility is certainly intriguing.Feel free to scream your jubilation, lamentation, or incredulity in the comments below.
Take Two mulling sale of company
The financial news from video game mega-publisher Take Two Interactive has run the gamut from bad to horrible over the past month or so. First there was a report from analyst Michael Pachter that suggested selling the company's stock. Then there was a disappointing earnings restatement and a shareholder coup that sought to overthrow CEO Paul Eibler. Now comes word that Take Two is considering selling the company to pacify the group of angry shareholders.Gamasutra is reporting that the Grand Theft Auto publisher has postponed its annual meeting from March 23 to March 29 to come up with alternative plans to present to the shareholders, which own a combined 46 percent of the company. One of the main alternatives mentioned in the official notice is "a possible sale of the Company." There's no guarantee such a sale will actually take place, but the fact that they're even considering it shows just how bad things are getting at Take Two HQ. Wall street seems to support the idea -- shares of the company were up 5.47 percent to $22 in early-morning trading.[Via Xbox360Fanboy]
Take-Two up for sale?
Take-Two, publisher of infamously violent games such as Grand Theft Auto 3 and Manhunt, has seen better days. Gamasutra reports that a group of Take-Two shareholders -- who own a combined 46% of the company -- wish to remove the current CEO, Paul Eibeler, and shake up the company's board of directors. Take-Two has postponed it's annual meeting from March 23rd to March 29th in order to review the shareholders' requests and come up with alternative solutions. Currently, the main "alternative" is an outright "sale of the Company."Take-Two recently posted a loss for 2006 and its future has been questioned for some time. Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities recently downgraded the company's stock and suggested that Take-Two could eventually be bought and sold in pieces, including its 2K Sports line. With the recent shareholder activity, that prediction could be coming true.Whether or not this could affect the development of GTAIV remains to be seen, though we're curious to see if Take-Two will now shy away from controversial titles, as its financial troubles began with the eruption of the Hot Coffee scandal.Take-Two stocks have already gone up as a result of the rumored sale.
Take-Two counters lawyer's 'nuisance' threat
Take-Two Interactive has filed a preemptive suit against attorney Jack Thompson. This past Saturday, Thompson hatched plans to meddle in the sales of future Take-Two and Rockstar titles Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Take-Two claims that if Thompson were to succeed in having the games declared public nuisances (under Florida law), the action would violate the publisher's First Amendment rights. Take-Two hopes its petition to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida will crush Thompson's proposed suit before it grows wings. Plan B? Drop a DDT-bomb on his dome.Last fall, Florida courts rejected a similar suit filed by Thompson that sought to restrict sales of Take-Two's "Sim Columbine" Bully.Update: Read the lawsuit.
Rumor: GTA IV to be in New York City?
While we're going to categorize this as a rumor until we get a better insight upon the release of the trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV on the 29th, it definitely is worth consideration. Apparently, word on the street is that GTA IV will be taking place in New York City and have NYC stylized music. When we first got wind of this, the first thing that popped into our heads was, "Uh, wasn't the Liberty City from Grand Theft Auto I, GTA III, San Andreas, and Liberty City Stories supposed to be at the very least an homage to New York City (with a hint of New Jersey)?" If you look at the map for Liberty City from GTA I (pictured above), it's even more apparent. Or this could be a completely new direction for Rockstar, where instead of doing fictional places that are inspired by real world locations, they cut the middle man as it were, and just use the actual city. Either way, we could see a return to Liberty City, or Rockstar's rendition of the real life counter part. Which would you rather play in?
