Forbes suggests GTA publisher could merge with French ally to fend off EA bid
Ubisoft is perfectly placed to snatch Take Two from under EA’s nose in a shock merger – and may well have a very keen eye on the publisher’s sports portfolio.
That’s according to respected business bible Forbes, which today fingered the French firm as a possible contender to EA in the race to acquire the Rockstar parent.
In the article, Forbes reports that ‘there's a lot at Take Two that could dovetail with Ubisoft's interests’ – not least GTA and Bioshock’s capability to work with Ubi’s continental, franchise-based and multimedia approach.
"Ubisoft has shown they do a good job of managing original intellectual property,” says Doug Creutz, analyst at San Francisco firm Cowen and Co.
“Culturally, Take Two developers would not have a problem at Ubisoft because they allow a decent degree of creative freedom."
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The magazine points to Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemont’s desire to expand the firms portfolio into sports – something he also revealed to MCV in our latest interview.
It also makes a big deal of Take Two chairman Strauss Zelnick’s reluctance to sell up to EA – and his admission that he is already speaking to other interested parties.
The article admits that ‘money could be a problem’ in terms of a full acquisition, with Ubisoft ‘only having about $235.8 million on hand’ – but says it's ‘possible the two could merge.’
Ubisoft declined to comment on Forbes’ analysis.
Comments
Here's hoping
A merge between these two companies would be good thing for the industry, EA are in need of being taken down a peg or two.
sweet
Activision Blizzard was good but this would definetely be better as both companies have their own IPs that are very rich and well thought of amongst gamers.
I could only see good things from a merger like this.
Re: sweet
@1
EA needs "taking down a peg or two"? Such an illogical and baseless statement.
/rolls eyes
Re: Re: sweet
Go get'em ubi! Go!
Re: Re: sweet
@ 3
Would you like a brief history of what happens when on company tries to wholly domintate an industry such as this? Try looking up Atari and 1984. So you're wrong, it's not a baseless statement in any way.
Re: Re: Re: sweet
@ 3 & 5
Also, think of any of your favourite old games, look up who now owns the IP, and then think about why nobody has used that license to make a good remake or sequel since...
Re: Re: Re: Re: sweet
Clearly Lordvader is a little light on videogame history and knowledge. His first games console was probably a Nintendo Wii.
/lol
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: sweet
@7
I guess you can join him on that list then.
Or maybe you would like to explain how Jack Tramiel getting involved with Atari and the subsequent launch of the ST is in any way similar to what EA is doing/trying to do. If you were even around then and can remember it of course.
But lets put it this way, I was still working for an Atari developer in 1990 so whatever you think happened in 1984, didn't really affect Atari or the industry did it?
What happened to Atari, was the marketting department fell apart and the potentially very good Falcon fell by the wayside and they never really recovered from that point. If you don't push a good thing when you have one, what chance have you got.
It's one thing to read about history, it's another thing when you were there in it.
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