So an EA spokesperson talks down on the man sticking a monkeywrench into EA's next aquisition. Suprise! I wonder if EA is helping fund this lawsuit.

Remember, kids, this isn't about Rockstar, it's about EA wanting a real monopoly over football (sports) games, instead of the almost-monopoly they have now.

Can't Rockstar simply find a new publisher in the event Take Two is purchased by EA?

I actually suspect this isn't about a Zelnick get-rich-quick scheme. He's trying to deter the hostile takeover through various tricky stock manipulations in order to drive the price of acquisition up.

@Anon: I was actually wondering the same thing, whether anything he did is illegal or rendering Zelnick liable for failing in his duties as Chairman. I think some of it is understandable in light of the takeover bid, and furthermore if stockholders disapprove of the way he's managing the company I think that a shareholder revolt (much like the one that ousted Paul Eibeler) is the easier remedy.

Anyone taking odds Jack-of-the-hill-people emails the guy and tries in an effort to merge suits and become voltron?

I was also wondering if this is John Bruce's mystery client. But I highly doubt it. Someone with enough clout to be able to sue Take Two would hoepfully not be dumb enough to hire John Bruce as an attorney.

Jack "lamprey" Thompson will be on this case.

@ Jabrwock

You don't understand the story. T2 told EA to stuff it until May when GTA IV was released. They needed toime to ensure that they had lined their pockets before the sale. They needed to finalize the these measures to throw a bunch of money at Zelnick and otehr board members before considering selling the company.

In other words, they want to sell, but only when it is profitable for them.

What I don't understand is the big companies dumping Take2 stock right before the relese of GTAIV.

If GTAIV is a big take off game, and it should be, then the Take2 stock should soar and the comapny will be worth a lot more then it is today. What EA was trying to do is buy the company while it was cheap then rake in the rewards. That's just good business sense. However, I frown unpon these mudslinging tactics where the CEO's are insulting eachother and trying to make the others look dirty.

Basically, what it comes down to is EA wants to buy it befre GTAIV and T2 doesn't want to sell until after GTAIV.

@EZK

"They needed toime to ensure that they had lined their pockets before the sale. They needed to finalize the these measures to throw a bunch of money at Zelnick and otehr board members before considering selling the company."

And everyone else's. Severance packages for all employees went up too, in case EA decided to "clean house" after the takeover. Management (not including Zelnick et al) would get 1.5 times their salary (for 18 months) for being fired without cause, employees full salary for 6 months.

Neeneko summed it up nicely. Poison pill provisions. Make T2 a really expensive bullet to bite, should it manage to accomplish a hostile takeover.

"You can have the company, but then you'll have to pay out the CEO millions."

Makes EA's shareholders pause for a second to think about it. If they desperately want T2, they'll have to pay up.

The timing is more anti-EA too. They clearly want T2 before GTAIV comes out, and the shares deal means Zelnick gets more if he holds off selling until one month after the release of GTAIV, at which point the stock price for T2 will be much higher (likely why EA is trying to buy it now...) Which will be better for shareholders all around.

For some reason, lamphrey or leech wouldn't accurately describe JT if he tried to attach himself to the case. Perhaps a Wraith from Stargate: Atlantis? Think about it, he sucks the life out of anyone he attaches himself to and leaves only a withered husk behind. Problem is that the Wraith are menacing, while JT is a buffoon with delusions of grandeur. Hmmm... perhaps inspector Clouseau if he became a lawyer? Problem is that even Clousseau could solve a case. Hmm. JT seems to be in his own special place of "epic fail".

@ GryphonOsiris, you're being too kind. For the wraith to feed they must get in physical contact with a human being.

Might explain all the whithered squirrels though.

@ Canary

Remember GTA3?

"This is America! You can sue just about anyone, for anything, and probably win!"

Hmm maybe Take Two isn't trying to get money, maybe theyre trying to get it so high EA says "Screw it"

wow, i have absolutley no idea who the share holder is. hey Jack.

Zero, it does help for the lawyers that the majority of politicians in office were lawyers as well, or law students at one point. They scratch each others back, ya know.

Also if this guy was jacks client, do you think he'd get a word in edgewise between jack saying "LOOK AT ME! I'M IMPORTANT! LOOK AT ME!!!!"

Well it could mean "the mirror is squeaky clean now I've snorted all the cocaine off it". Not that I'm implying anything...

The last time the stock was close was in 2005 at $28/Share you say? You mean about the time sales figures for San Andres started to pour in from the release of San Andres on Windows/Xbox coupled with Playstation 2 sales? (You know, just guessing here.)

Yup, they must be fools thinking Grand Theft Auto IV will do the same thing for them...