Take Two's Board Ousted by Shareholders

Some would view it as vaguely ironic that, on the same day that the GTA IV trailer makes its debut, the Take-Two board is finally ousted in the culmination of a nasty inter-corporate feud. CNN's Chris Morris reports on the latest development in the company's saga: "The accounting and ethical quagmires that have bogged down the company for the past few years are likely to disappear. And Take-Two will almost certainly become a leaner company, shedding divisions and canceling games ... The arrival of a new board may also ratchet down the public scrutiny of the company a few notches - but that respite from the spotlight's glare might not last as long as they would like. You see, the thing that makes this game maker different from the rest of the industry is its rebellious streak. It's something that drives opponents insane and causes mass migraines in the boardroom, but without it, Take-Two wouldn't be the force it is today."

Jack Thompson

[faloi (738831)]

How long before we get a /. post about Jack Thompson taking personal credit for ousting the board in the form of some long-winded self righteous diatribe?

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[by Anonymous Coward]

I am taking personal credit for ousting the board in the form of some long-winded self righteous diatribe.

-Jack Thompson

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[neoform (551705)]

I'm sure he'll pat himself on the back and somehow delude himself into believing he somehow had a part in this.

He'll be in the news real soon saying what a great victory this is for him.. etc.. etc.

Please, let's not even bring him up

[by Anonymous Coward]

He may seek the publicity, but we have no reason to give it to him for free.

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[Shadow Wrought (586631)]

That was my first thought. Especially since he told Ars Technica that he was going to see to it that somehting big was going to happen at the Take-Two meeting.

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[nuzak (959558)]

I'm going to see to it that the sun rises in the east tomorrow. Mark my words.

Re:Jack Thompson

[Shadow Wrought (586631)]

I'm going to see to it that the sun rises in the east tomorrow. Mark my words.

Pssshaw. Anyone can make the sun rise; It is a big ol' ball o' hydrogen after all, and everyone knows that hydrogen rises, but only I can make it set. You just watch. Tonight it fall out of the sky to the West.

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[by Anonymous Coward]

Especially since he told Ars Technica that he was going to see to it that somehting big was going to happen

Well not exactly. I think he implied that the Lord Thy God was going to make something happen -- that He would looseth his terrible judgment and smiteth them down in His righteous fury.

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[gstoddart (321705)]

How long before we get a /. post about Jack Thompson taking personal credit for ousting the board in the form of some long-winded self righteous diatribe?

I think that was pre-emptively done last week or so ... seems he was prognosticaing their imminent demise and already saying he was the one who would be causing it.

You can probably count on some smug public statement from him real soon now. :-P

Cheers

Thank GOD for Jack Thompson

[oni (41625)]

Thanks to Jack Thompson, the board at Take Two has been ousted and that horrible murder simulator, Grand Theft Auto IV will *never* be sold... wait, what? It will be released as planned? This has absolutely nothing to do with GTA??

well god damnit.

How fitting

[Moggyboy (949119)]

"... the new board roared through the windows of the corporate bathroom in a beaten up Chevrolet, burst out of its doors brandishing crowbars and chainsaws, and yelled 'Crunch time, bitches!' before laying waste to the existing board of directors. After the bloodbath, the new executives fired some rocket launchers at observing SWAT helicopters before brushing themselves off and giving their first press release."

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[jimstapleton (999106)]

Since there is no such mod, I'll just pretend that I gave you this one:

+1 Appropriate

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[Chris Burke (6130)]

After the bloodbath, the new executives fired some rocket launchers at observing SWAT helicopters before brushing themselves off and giving their first press release.

Without even stopping at the Pay N' Spray to get the SWAT team off their backs? Talk about brass balls!

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[voice_of_all_reason (926702)]

As long as you stay on the roof, the helicopters are all you need worry about.

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[Ngarrang (1023425)]

After the bloodbath, the new executives fired some rocket launchers at observing SWAT helicopters before brushing themselves off and giving their first press release.

Without even stopping at the Pay N' Spray to get the SWAT team off their backs? Talk about brass balls!

They had to have used a cheat code. LeaveMeAlone!

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[intrico (100334)]

Hilarious.

Inter vs. Intra

[richdun (672214)]

Since it happened within the company, and not between two or more companies, shouldn't that be "intra-corporate?"

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[creimer (824291)]

Explain this one since we're on the topic... When a man and woman are having sex, why do they call "intercourse"? :P

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[Gertlex (722812)]

Explain this one since we're on the topic... When a man and woman are having sex, why do they call "intercourse"? :P

Because intracourse is when you play with yourself.

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[by Anonymous Coward]

The think the "inter-corporate" part refers to the fact that OppenheimerFunds, which if I'm remembering correctly owns something like 46% of TT's stock, hatched the plot to replace the Board. The new Board then immediately fired several executives.

Rebellious?

[MikeRT (947531)]

Look, I'm generally very anti-authority as can be proved by sheer volume of criticism I have written that is critical of our government. However a game that glorifies criminality the way that Grand Theft Auto games do is not rebellious in the "good way," it's rebellious in a sociopathic sort of way. You have to be detached from reality to believe that it is healthy catharsis to play a game where you commit wanton crime against your fellow man; it's not the sort of violent catharsis you get in most first person shooters.

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[Jaysyn (203771)]

Look, I'm generally very anti-authority as can be proved by sheer volume of criticism I have written that is critical of our government. However a movie that glorifies criminality the way that crime movies do is not rebellious in the "good way," it's rebellious in a sociopathic sort of way. You have to be detached from reality to believe that it is healthy catharsis to watch a movie where you see wanton crime against your fellow man; it's not the sort of violent catharsis you get in most comedies.

Look, I'm

Strawman's response

[Chmcginn (201645)]

blah blah something about video games being worse the movies/books/etc because they're 'immersive' blah blah blah

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[amuro98 (461673)]

But shows like The Sopranos and Prison Break are OK because they don't glofify crimes or violence against an otherwise law-abiding society?

Not to mention our continual worship of and fascination with real-life, violent criminals ranging from Billy The Kid to Al Capone.

The most normal, law-abiding citizen is going to ocassionally fantasize about being "evil", or taking a baseball bat to their neighbor's face after he played movies on his surround sound system so loudly, that your floor was vibrating until 3a

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[nuzak (959558)]

Then don't buy it.

Bye Bye R* Leeds?

[British (51765)]

IIRC R* Leeds made GTA: Vice City Stories. Of all the GTA games, this one is the most disappointing. The port to PS2(from the PSP) was sorely lacking in features that we've grown used to. The graphics seem a lot glitchier, and I've twice run into a situation where I had to reboot the console. All the other GTA games I've played have been much more stable.

Why do game companies have other companies(er, divisions in this case) do a sequel, only to disappoint? The same thing happened with Carmageddon TDR, which