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BIG FAT RUMOR: Microsoft eyeing Take-Two like a hawk eyes a mouse?

Posted Mar 20, 2007 at 12:57PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: Microsoft, Rockstar Vancouver, Take-Two Interactive

Yes, please note the big fat rumor warning in the title. This one comes from WorthPlaying, and because they say it's an insider in Rockstar Vancouver, it will be difficult to confirm this story through official sources, at least until those official sources (Microsoft, Take-Two Interactive) decide to publicly speak up about it.

Of course, the rumor is entirely plausible. While the official PR is that the company is considering other options to present to shareholders, including a sale of the company, conspiracy theorists on Wall Street can easily spin stories of backroom dealings, but that's for the SEC and the government to worry about. At the same time, gaming industry analysts and Xbox fanboys both agree: being able to acquire the Grand Theft Auto franchise would be a gold mine for Microsoft. (Not that the PS3 is left out, now that they've got Saints Row).

On the other hand, who's to say Sony, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, or some Japanese mega-publishing house isn't considering the same thing? The thing with rumors is, sometimes they slip out, and then we learn about it (and then the crap hits the fan), and sometimes they stay secret until the official release, and we're all WTF?!

The most sure thing we can predict is that whatever these "considerations" are, T2 will announce them at that postponed stockholder's meeting.

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people keep talking about all this blows from losing exclusives when 90% of the lost exclusives(ther e isnt even that money to begin with) were never confirmed exclusives or never have been...the closest were timed exclusives, the only decent blow that happened and actually was a lost was DMC4, which actually wasnt even confirmed by capcom but i dont doubt its true, they need money and RE5 for 360, dead rising, lost planet, dmc4 now, seems right and it never really was exclusive necessarly to begin with because they are on PC and its not like anyone loses when a exclusive is lost, they still get the game, and next gen costs are expensive so some developers need to go multiplatform, its not like microsoft has not lost any exclusives i think the exclusives lost, the REAL ones was like microsoft lost 4 and sony lost 5, either way both consoles are going to have amazing games

# If this is true — phalanges 2007-03-20 14:54

another monopoly for MS. What next? MS and EA, MS and Ubisoft, MS and Konami, MS and S-E?

# ... — Blade 2007-03-20 14:59

If anything I'd say that Sony is scoping it out. I'd say they would get first dibs anyway since the Playstation brand name is what has grown them into the house hold name it has become today. What did Microsoft do once they bought rare :S. Seems to me they just throw the company's they buy out to the way side to avoid competition. It wouldn't be in Take-Two's best interest to allow itself to be bought out by Microsoft. Although they did do good for Bungie but the thing is Halo was originally only intended for the PC before Microsoft bought it out. But then again the PC isn't really competition for Microsoft since they already hold that market by the balls. I really hope that the Government makes them break their company down again.

# wtf? — ContrAss 2007-03-20 15:21

best thing ever if Microsoft buys take-two? Right, because Rare and Bungie are just doing awesome right now under Microsoft...

and yeah, enjoy sony's loss. It's not like Microsoft has anything to lose! Well Gaiden actually...and that one game Crimson Sea back on the xbox...

# Halo 3 versus Killzone 2: Fact Sheet — Guest 2007-03-20 15:30

Millions of X360 console owners were so surprised and upset after this year’s GDC expo because PS3 owners relatively got so much more amazing things.

In Nov. 2006, about 2 weeks after the release of Gears of War, one game reviewer asked this question to the spokesperson at Bungie. That journalist asked if Halo 3’s final version can surpass the unbelievably good graphics of GoW. Bungie's official spokesperson simply said that technically speaking, Halo 3's retail version (final product) will look much inferior to Gears of War in the graphics department because Halo 3’s art direction is for simpleness and cleanness. There’re alpha videos and screenshots of both Resistance and Gears of War available at IGN and GameSpot; unless you are blind, you will fully realize that alpha-build screenshots are almost (90%) identical to the screenshots of final build (retail product). Bungie has released both pre-alpha and alpha-build screenshots. Majority of comments written in forums say that those Halo 3 screenshots look mediocre or just poor. Go to 1Up.com. Game reviewers at 1UP were exclusively invited to Bungie; these folks actually played Halo 3’s alpha-build. These game reviewers said in an article that they think Halo 3 doesn’t look neither poor nor impressive.

Only a few people know about the truth behind the above reason. Halo 3’s final (retail) version will exactly look like Halo 2.5 or Halo 2: Episode 1; and this is a flat fact. Halo 2 was made by using Renderware game & graphics engine and then it (Halo 2) was released at the end of 2004. Renderware was still famous back then; however, it (Renderware) started to become crappy and unpopular since 2005 because this engine can’t even be compared to other better engines. Since 2005, most developers have used Havok, Source, Unreal, Offset or CryEngine which are far superior to Renderware. It was announced that Bungie has been making Halo 3 based on Halo 2. They are upgrading and heavily modifying Halo 2 to make Halo 3. Bungie can save so much budget and development time by taking this method.

On the other hand, Killzone 2 is being made from scratch. Because Killzone 2 is a brand new game which is only made for the PS3 hardware, KZ 2 can use most possible and potential power of the PS3. There’s an article at GameSpot which says the impression of Killzone 2’s actual footage at GDC. Go and read unless you are illiterate. That article is written by game reviewers at GameSpot, and the reviewers say that Killzone 2’s actual footage shown at this year’s GDC was extremely impressive and technically extremely advanced.

Killzone 2 must be super good because the budget for this is $21 million when Gears of War needed only $9 million.

Gran Turismo is world's most popular racing game in racing game history based on the total number of copies sold. Polyphony released Gran Turismo HD for the purpose of PS3's tech demo at the end of 2006. People around the world became so surprised because GT HD was just good (like 80/100). Gran Turismo was supposed to be 95/100 just like all the previous GT games. Then later, Polyphony officially said GT HD was made by heavily updating the PS2 version of GT 4. Yes, Gran Turismo HD looks just good; however it doesn't blow anyone away. Now, Polyphony is making Gran Turismo 5 from scratch to take advantage of PS3's whole potential power. Now, listen, you guys at Bungie should take a leaf out of Polyphony’s book; Bungie must delete (scrap) all data related to Halo 3; then make Halo 3 from scratch from now on and release this game in 2012.

Actually, so many companies which are friendly to Sony share technologies which are used to make PS3 games (OpenGL 2 based tech). These developers are world class companies like those ones which make Resistance, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, MotorStorm, Tekken 6, Virtua Fighter 5, Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, God of War 3 (confirmed), Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy XIII, Lair, Ratchet and Clank and so on. Can you even imagine in your little mind how good Killzone 2 can look?

# Smart — Guest 2007-03-20 15:35

A very smart move for Microsoft. If they did this and cut off GTA IV for Sony... your gonna get some angry people, but then 360 sales will most likely skyrocket, with that and Halo 3 just over the horison.

# Hey — Guest 2007-03-20 15:40

Hey "Halo 3 versus Killzone 2: Fact Sheet". Quiet fanboy!

# Hmmm — Guest 2007-03-20 16:03

Could Sony even afford it?

# Haha sad — Guest 2007-03-20 16:05

If you wroye all that yourself I pray for your soul

# oops — Guest 2007-03-20 16:06

wrote not wroye

# lol — Guest 2007-03-20 16:12

Hmm let's see, Halo 1 and 2 under the ownership of Microsoft, yep they're doing pretty bad

# Flex, Dont be hatin — Guest 2007-03-20 16:16

Flex, don't be hatin different game consoles just because you don't have or can't afford them :) Just appreciate that games are games and what really counts most of all is the Game being played, not the console it's getting played on.

# If M$ buys out Take Two — Guest 2007-03-20 16:24

it does not necessarily mean they buy out Rockstar. Take 2 owns a small share of Rockstar, they mainly use Take 2 for distribution. 10 to one its the same rumor mill that they used right before the San Andreas game was released. They managed to get their stock prices up using the buy out rumor then, and 10 to 1 they are doing it again! Besides Rockstar and Sony just signed a longtime contract!

# ^^ — Guest 2007-03-20 17:10

this is correct.

# ... — Guest 2007-03-20 17:34

Is this is why your not a CEO of any company. In the business world it's all about the money. Shareholders aren't going to want to get less money for their shares because GTA had games on the PS1 + PS2. If GTA really had loyalty to Sony don't you think GTAIV would of stayed exclusive to PS3?

# Take Two isn't a reputable company... — Guest 2007-03-20 18:52

I think MS, or any other potential buyer would think a million times before buying a company that has had so many problems as of late - not to mention that Take-Two wouldn't have the writes to all the products mentioned. Take Two was about broke before GTA and people will grow tired of this series.

I don't know why everyone gets bent out of shape anyway - you'll play it on whatever system it comes out on if you're a big enough fan - and if not who cares. You don't own the Playstation, Nintendo, or Xbox Brands - get a life and stop banking on a console winning ... you need lives.

# Uhhh... — Shatterdome 2007-03-20 21:20

Who cares if Halo 3 won't look as good as Gears of war...because we have gears of war also, and gears of war 2 and gears of war 3..etc.

I'm sure their engine can handle the effects that are done in GoW just fine, but as they said, Halo has a completely different art style, so much so that you really can't compare the two.

# FACTSHEET where? all I see is that same old post — Guest 2007-03-20 23:14

Someone keeps posting that stupid so called factsheet all over these kind of posts it should be deleted for repeat posting...

# take 2 — Guest 2007-03-21 00:50

cheers for that update "Dj Natas", thats a good point i forgot about that. coz its not rockstar thats up for sale, then it would be a whole different ball game.

to "eaglebaize", im not hatin, i love this war! dude i own pretty much all the consoles out there man, i just love this shiiit thats happening right now, as soon as u step on someones toes the fight starts! me, i have been a SEGA fan for years, its a damn shame they are not in the game anymore, but i will buy a console for its games, and so far the PS3 just really has nothing going for it, just like the Wii, so until there is some really good games that come out, i wont buy their machine. So why would i go out and buy a PS3 if i know all the games i want to have/play are on the x360? VF5 was a biggie, but now the x360 getting it, and knowing how sega work, it just wont be a port they will make a little upgrade for it, like they did to all the VF's.

thou MGS4 & GT5 will be the big drawcards for me buying a PS3. As for the Wii, it looks like its getting better games day by day.

there is still love!, but they got to show me the love!

# GT5 has Forza 2 to contend with this time — Guest 2007-03-21 01:58

Lets see if GT5 can match up to Forza 2, I doubt it can(especially if there is NO realtime damage in this round of GT again) but we will see.

# go ea — Guest 2007-03-21 06:18

go ea buy take two ,that way everyone can enjoy gta.

# go ea — Guest 2007-03-21 06:21

go ea buy take two ,that way everyone can enjoy gta.

# sorry — Guest 2007-03-21 08:22

Take Two would go to the highest bidder, and if Sony even considered to bid for Take Two, Microsoft would just overpower their bid.

# Ah *****in hell — Guest 2007-03-21 12:17

I really dont want to buy an xbox just for GTA 4, and will be very pissed off if it comes to that. This is one franchise i will follow...unfortunately

# Nintendo — Guest 2007-03-21 13:14

Nintendo should pop out of no where and purchase take two, nobody would expect that.

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