BioShockVideogame mega-publisher Electronic Arts plans to make a hostile takeover bid against Grand Theft Auto and BioShock publisher Take-Two Interactive.

According to the Wall Street Journal, EA plans “to make a tender offer to acquire all of rival video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc’s outstanding shares for $26 each.”

Last month EA made an unsolicited bid of $26 a share, or $1.9 billion, for Take-Two, who rejected the bid as inadequate.

Link.



The videogames industry grew four times as much as the overall U.S. economy, according to a report by the Entertainment Software Association.

The American video game industry grew 17% from 2003 to 2006, while the general growth of the economy was 4%. Retail sales of games totaled $7.0 billion in 2005, and sales of games for both PCs and consoles grew from 74.1 million units in 1996 to over 250 million units in 2006. Continued…