Take-Two Interactive Responds to EA Extension

As expected both sides in the Electronic Arts versus Take-Two Interactive saga have now responded to the passing of Friday's deadline. First off was EA, which extended its deadline... again.

Now it's Take-Two's turn - its information comes as a mere 8% of its stock has been 'tendererd into EA's offer' - that's 6,210,261 shares as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on May 16, 2008.

Ben Feder, Take-Two's Chief Executive Officer, says, "In the last several weeks, our strategy and Take-Two's value have been vividly demonstrated by two notable events. The record-breaking sales performance of Grand Theft Auto IV in its first week of release confirmed its status as the most successful video game launch of all time and as a blockbuster on par with any entertainment product ever released.

"We have also just announced an agreement with Universal Pictures to make BioShock, the universally acclaimed hit video game, into a feature film, demonstrating how Take-Two is delivering value from our powerful and wholly-owned intellectual property.

The small number of shares tendered into EA's offer to date demonstrates that our stockholders agree with what our Board has maintained from the beginning: EA's proposal undervalues our Company."

Not to be outdone, Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two's chairman, "This is the same highly conditional proposal that EA offered Take-Two stockholders on March 13, 2008, which our Board of Directors thoroughly reviewed and unanimously determined to be inadequate and contrary to the best interests of Take-Two's stockholders.

"As such, the recommendation of our Board of Directors that stockholders not tender their shares to EA remains unchanged. The Board is committed to maximizing stockholder value and is exploring all strategic alternatives to do so.

"We said we were willing to begin formal discussions with interested parties on April 30, following the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV, and we have in fact begun that process. We are confident in the significant growth potential of Take-Two and in the unique value of our business given our strong position in this growing and dynamic industry."

So... it's game on... again.

^{Source: Take-Two Interactive}