Take Two tells EA to suck it (but maybe they can talk afterwards)

Not so fast, EA. Your plan for world domination may look good on paper, but you failed to realize that you would have to test it on real people! (evil laugh echoes throughout the courtyard) BWAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Phew. Anyway, by now you may have caught the drift that Take Two refused EA’s offer for a buyout, although this is technically not the first time. After Take Two politely refused last month, EA decided the hostile route would be more effective and tried to approach shareholders directly to acquire stock of the company. Take Two urged stockholders to stand fast, at least until the new offer had been reviewed, and somehow the iron grip of the Evil Acquirers slipped. For the moment.

Now EA’s bid to pay $26 a share has been formally rejected by Take Two’s board ,which they called out as “inadequate” and contrary to the best interests of the stockholders. Now don’t laugh, but can you see EA coming with blowtorches next? Because I kind of can. This could be great, like a small town riot to chase an unsavory figure out of their midsts. I can see the pitchforks, even.

The aforementioned board has also stated they will “explore alternatives to maximize value for stockholders, which may include a business combination with third parties or with EA.” Maybe that was their way of keeping the pitchforks at bay, at least for now. At any rate, any serious negotiations have been put off until after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. Considering the series popularity, Take Two is expecting to have their hands full.

There is rumor that third parties other than EA are interested in Take Two as well, although there are no firm details available at this time as to who those parties could be. Of course, if they have less money than EA to throw around they can likely forget it. Even if they do have more money, their homes may be burned down in the night. Mysteriously.

Do you care who owns Take Two? Or is this all just industry gibberish to you, unimportant as long as you can buy Grand Theft Auto IV on launch day?

[Via Gamasutra and Excremento’s blog— Thanks Jonathan]