| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Earlier, Dealscape filed a summation of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.'s SEC filing divulging the possibility of competing bids, but there was nary a name identifying who might try to challenge Electronic Arts Inc.'s $2 billion bid. Dealscape trolled through video game sites and blogs to handicap the possible bidders.
The nonstarters Additionally, it's a safe assumption -- despite the rumors on message boards at game site Kotaku -- that Microsoft Corp., Nintendo Co. Ltd. or Sony Corp., each of which has the cash to challenge EA, would not dare to bid simply because EA is a console kingmaker. If any of the three companies were to make a bid, EA could simply "retaliate" by withholding support or -- so not to elicit antitrust attention -- its best titles from a console maker's system. While Viacom Inc. seems like a possible bidder, CEO Phillipe Dauman went on the record Friday saying the company isn't interested in a bidding war, according to Tech Confidential. Viacom seemed like a natural, based on its fourth-quarter report, which cited the popularity of music-based video game "Rock Band" as a contributor to unexpectedly strong earnings. The bidders So who's left? Well, Walt Disney Co. While Take-Two's controversial titles might be a little edgy for the Mouse House, it is the same company that airs the highly sex-driven "Desperate Housewives," and Take-Two does make tamer games -- "Table Tennis" and "Civilization" come to mind -- than the violent "Grand Theft Auto." Additionally, Disney has some exposure to the game world not only through licensing arrangements with THQ Inc., but also through the 2007 purchase of the Club Penguin virtual world for children. Additionally, Disney has reportedly been trying to develop more games internally, and Take-Two owns a large pool of development talent, who could be tasked with making high-quality games from internal franchises like a "Pirates of the Carribean" game that is actually good. However, Disney execs would have to think long and hard about the possible backlash it could receive from taking on the baggage that is "Grand Theft Auto." Other media giants who could be interested include NBC Universal, News Corp. and Time Warner Inc., which all have far less exposure to video games than Viacom or Disney. Of course, as MarketWatch's Herb Greenberg points out, perhaps all the talk is just spin. - Matthew Wurtzel See proxy filing from the SEC Edgar Categories Deal Video
    Community
 Elsewhere on The Deal.comDealwatchThe Deal MagazineCorporate Dealmaker
The Deal VideoCategories
Blog roll
Archives
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
