New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive announced on Monday that it has postponed its annual shareholder meeting, so its board may have extra time to examine both a plan by a dissident group of shareholders to take over the company, and "alternative courses…including a possible sale of the company."

Originally scheduled for March 23, the company's annual meeting will now be held on March 29.

The company has seen five quarters of consecutive losses, a former CEO plead guilty to backdating stock options, and ongoing controversy related to several violent game titles.

In a related story, New York-based Take-Two filed a pre-emptive lawsuit against Jack Thompson, an attorney who has been involved in numerous lawsuits seeking to restrict sales of the company's games on moral grounds.

GamePolitics.com reports that the lawsuit seeks to prevent Thompson from trying to have Take-Two's upcoming "Grand Theft Auto 4" and "Manhunt 2" declared "public nuisances" in Florida, claiming Thompson's actions violate game makers' First Amendment free speech protections.

"Thompson has a history of making multiple threats of legal action, whether substantiated or not, both against (Take Two) as well as the retailers who purchase the video games and offer them for sale to the public," the lawsuit states.

Related Links:
http://ir.take2games.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=234204

http://gamepolitics.com/2007/03/16/breaking-take-two-sues-jack-thompson

http://tinyurl.com/2clfmg (PDF: Take-Two lawsuit)

http://gamepolitics.com/2007/03/17/thompson-reacts-to-take-two-lawsuit