Midway Takeover Looking More Likely?

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone's increasing financial stake in publisher Midway, as he "has hired a financial advisor to evaluate options should he increase his interest in the publisher to 80 percent of its common stock", and also "nominated his daughter, Shari E. Redstone, to join the board" The piece also notes: "In spite of the stock reporting 17 consecutive quarterly losses, Redstone has demonstrated unflagging interest in the company, increasing his stake in it from less than 30 percent at the beginning of the year to its current level", and goes on to speculate: "A survey of analyst's comments... suggest a timeline that would see Redstone acquire sufficient Midway stock to take the company private, to be followed by the sale of the company to Viacom. Such a scenario would give Viacom the means to enter the game space through the Midway Games infrastructure [as opposed to the rejected concept of an EA takeover.] Viacom could then leverage its many brands--including MTV and Nickelodeon--to become a significant publisher."

Just what we need

[mwheeler01]

Just what we need, the big publishers getting bigger. Well as long as the games don't get as bad as the programming on MTV I won't complain too much.

Midway, huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Midway Takeover Looking More Likely?

Damn, I saw that headline and figured this had to be the most out of date story Slashdot has ever run. What next, "Archduke Ferdinand Shot By Bosnian!"?

Re:Midway, huh?

[hambonewilkins]

Now that was a joke.

Mod points anyone?

interesting, but likely?

[bigbigbison]

It seems odd that the CEO of Viacom is the one buying the stock rather than the company of Viacom itself. I don't know a whole lot about such matters, but it would seem that the CEO buying enough of a company to take it private and then sell it to the company that he already owns seems either a bit of a round-about way of doing it or just downright illegal (He buys it cheap and then sells it to the company he already runs for a lot more? Wish I could do that). I wonder if it might be something more like a fall back job for when he inevitably gets fired from Viacom (as all CEOs seem to eventually do).

Re:interesting, but likely?

[blueZhift]

That certainly is puzzling to say the least. I wonder if others back at Viacom don't see eye to eye on this. So the CEO has decided to "prove it to them" so to speak. If it all works out after a year or two maybe a sale to Viacom to leverage its resources would be of greater interest. Or heck, maybe the guy just likes games!

Re:interesting, but likely?

[Bob Cat - NYMPHS]

Uh, Sumner Redstone is the one who does the firing at Viacom. Also, 80 year old billionaires do NOT need 'fallback' jobs.

http://www.viacom.com/sumner.tin

Re:interesting, but likely?

[Colazar]

Most likely there are tax or legal reasons for structuring it this way.

Or maybe time is of the essense and its faster/easier to work it out as a private purchase first, and after that they can dot all the i's and cross all the t's to get it to the final structure they want.

Redstone has such control of that board, I don't think corporate politics comes into it.

Awesome!

[Pluvius]

Viacom could then leverage its many brands--including MTV and Nickelodeon--to become a significant publisher.

No bad games could possibly come out of that!

Rob

Re:Awesome!

[curtisk]

No bad games could possibly come out of that!

Agreed! This sounds like a golden gaming oasis!

*Sticks head in oven*

OH BOY!

[BlueCup]

Personally, I can't wait until "The Real World" Meets "The Sims"

Oh my god, Becky stole Sarahs shampoo! And now she's building a wall to lock her in the bathroom until she starves to death!

Here it comes

[ArmenTanzarian]

A street fighting style game pitting characters from TRL, 106 and Park (BRL), and whatever the hell CMT has on in the afternoon.

Mk...

[Anonymous Coward]

Fatality.

Viacom wins!

PSI-OPS?

[atarrri]

Midway's new game called PSI-OPS [psiopsgame.com] looks pretty cool. It's a 3rd person shooter where you have psychic powers like telekinesis. Dececnt graphics and it uses Havok 2 for the physics. I think it comes out on Monday.

Pinball

[vehn23]

Now if only they'll bring back Midway pinball..

MK meets Nick-Toons? FATALITY MR. CRABS WINS!

[bigdady92]

Can anyone else picture SpongeBob Square Pants vs. Kano in a fight to the death? FATALITY SPONGBOB WINS!