Grand Theft Auto

Take-Two Settles "Hot Coffee" Class Action Lawsuit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 2, 2009 - 9:06am.
New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) announced that it will pay $20 million to settle a shareholder class action suit filed against the company over the "Hot Coffee" sexually explicit content contained in its "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" game, and its stock options granting practices.

"Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony" Coming in Fall

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 27, 2009 - 12:45pm.
New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) has announced that one of the next expansion packs for its blockbuster "Grand Theft Auto" franchise will be entitled "Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony." "As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony"), players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price."

iTunes Replaces Amazon MP3 as "Grand Theft Auto" Partner

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 12, 2009 - 1:48pm.
New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) has decided to dump Amazon's (NASD: AMZN) MP3 store in favor of Apple's (NASD: AAPL) iTunes Store as the digital music retail partner for its forthcoming "Grand Theft Auto IV" expansion, "The Lost and the Damned," Variety reported. Gamers will be able to tag songs they hear during the course of the game for later purchase at iTunes. Variety postulated that the decision stems from Apple's ditching of DRM on the iTunes Store -- previously an advantage for Amazon.

Take-Two Signs Rockstar Games Team Through 2012

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 18, 2008 - 2:18pm.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) announced that it has signed new employment agreements with the senior creative talent at its Rockstar Games label, which develops the top-selling "Grand Theft Auto" franchise. The new agreements run through 2012. Take-Two added that it has agreed to fund the future development of new titles to be owned by a new company controlled by key Rockstar team members, which will be exclusively published by Take-Two.

Controversial Game Lawsuit Attorney Jack Thompson Disbarred

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 26, 2008 - 8:01am.

Miami, Fla. - The Florida Supreme Court this week permanently disbarred Miami attorney Jack Thompson, a vocal critic of violence in video games who had specifically targeted Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) and its "Grand Theft Auto" franchise.

"Grand Theft Auto IV" to Enable Song Downloads from Amazon

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 28, 2008 - 11:35am.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) will allow players of its forthcoming "Grand Theft Auto IV" to download any of the over 150 songs they hear within the game from Amazon's (NASD: AMZN) MP3 store. Players will use an in-game cell phone to text a number and receive a "text" back with the artist and song title. Those signed up for the Rockstar Games Social Club will also receive an e-mail with links to purchase tagged songs from Amazon. The game is slated for release on April 29.

Take-Two Rejects $2 Billion Buyout Offer from Electronic Arts

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 25, 2008 - 11:38am.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive's (NASD: TTWO) board has rejected an unsolicited bid of about $2 billion for the company from fellow games maker Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS), saying the proposal undervalues Take-Two and is a "highly opportunistic" move given the pending release of "Grand Theft Auto IV." The offer of $26 per share represents a 64% premium over Take-Two's stock price on Feb. 15, the day before EA made its proposal.

"Grand Theft Auto" 'Hot Coffee' Settlement Details Posted Online

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 29, 2008 - 12:50pm.

New York - A website has been set up to inform consumers of how to receive compensation resulting from the settlement of class action lawsuits against Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO), over the "Hot Coffee" explicit sexual content included in the initial release of its "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." Consumers who purchased the original version of the game may exchange their game disc for an edited version, while those with a receipt are eligible to receive up to $35 from the company.

Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto IV" Set for Release on April 29

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 24, 2008 - 1:22pm.

New York - Take-Two Interactive's (NASD: TTWO) Rockstar Games label on Thursday announced the release date for its "Grand Theft Auto IV" title for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which will ship to retailers worldwide on April 29. The release had originally been scheduled for October 2007, which the company delayed to devote more time to development.

Take-Two Settles Lawsuit Over "Grand Theft Auto" Hidden Sex Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 9, 2007 - 7:49am.
 image from absolute-playstation.com

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO) announced on Friday the settlement of all consumer class action lawsuits in the U.S. related to the "Hot Coffee" online download that could unlock sexually explicit content in its "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" game. Under the settlement, which still requires court approval, all claims against Take-Two will be dismissed without any admission of liability or wrongdoing by Take-Two or its Rockstar Games unit, which developed the game.

Microsoft Pays $50M for Downloadable "Grand Theft Auto" Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 18, 2007 - 1:08pm.

New York - Microsoft has paid video game publisher Take-Two Interactive $50 million for the exclusive rights to offer downloadable episodes for its "Grand Theft Auto IV" game over the Xbox Live Marketplace service for the Xbox 360.

Game Publisher Take-Two to Cut Staff Amid Restructuring

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 12, 2007 - 2:01pm.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has announced plans to lay off an undisclosed number of staff, as part of a restructuring aimed at reviving a company that has lately seen a shareholder revolt and been plagued with controversies over stock options and its "Grand Theft Auto" game franchise.

Take-Two Settles Lawsuits with Video Game Attorney Jack Thompson

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 20, 2007 - 11:53am.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has settled several lawsuits filed against attorney Jack Thompson, an outspoken critic of game violence who has been involved in several lawsuits against Take-Two, GamePolitics.com reported.

Game Publisher Take-Two Says SEC Investigating Stock Option Grants

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 5, 2007 - 12:10pm.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two, creators of the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, is now the subject of a formal investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into its stock options granting practices, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Investors Oust 5 Board Members, CEO at Game Publisher Take-Two

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 30, 2007 - 10:09am.

New York - Investors at video game publisher Take-Two Interactive ousted five of the company's six board members on Thursday -- including CEO Paul Eibeler -- in a shake-up that followed multiple controversies at the company, including stock options backdating and a scandal surrounding its "Grand Theft Auto" franchise.

Grand Theft Auto IV to Arrive on PS3, Xbox 360 in October

Authored by Scott Goldberg on March 1, 2007 - 9:15pm.
Grand Theft Auto Financially strapped gamers limited to one console have made the decision in recent years to purchase a unit based on a single game.  For some, Halo was reason enough to buy an Xbox.  And for others, Grand Theft Auto, the Rockstar game infamous for its unprecedented level of violence, influenced the purchase of a Playstation.  But beginning in October, Xbox loyalists will finally get to celebrate the beginning of their relationship with Grand Theft Auto, excellent news for Microsoft.

Take-Two in Settlement Talks on "Grand Theft Auto" Class Action

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 1, 2007 - 1:21pm.

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has begun settlement negotiations in a class-action lawsuit over the sexually explicit game content hidden in the code of its popular "Grand Theft Auto" title.

Rockstar Games to Publish "Manhunt 2" This Summer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2007 - 2:00pm.

New York - Rockstar Games, a unit of Take-Two Interactive, announced on Wednesday that it will publish "Manhunt 2," a sequel to its violent action title, for PlayStation 2, PSP and Nintendo Wii this summer. The original game was banned in Germany, Australia and New Zealand, and pulled from store shelves by a number of U.K. retailers, after it was found at the crime scene of a murdered teenager there. The sequel is being developed at Rockstar London, in conjunction with Rockstar North, while the Wii version is being created at Rockstar Toronto. Separately, Rockstar announced on Wednesday that it will bring its previously PSP-only "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories" title to the PlayStation 2; the game is slated for release in North America on March 6 and in Europe on March 9.

Video Game Lawyer Jack Thompson Faces Disciplinary Proceedings

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2007 - 8:42am.

Miami - Jack Thompson, a vocal critic of violence in the media who has filed numerous lawsuits against video game publishers, now faces disciplinary proceedings at the hand of the Florida Bar Association, over allegedly false and disparaging statements he made against a judge and several lawyers, Daily Business Review reported.

FTC Settles With Take-Two Over Hidden Sex Content in "Grand Theft Auto"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2006 - 7:04am.
Washington - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive and its Rockstar Games unit on Thursday settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that they failed to disclose information about sexually explicit content in their "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" video game to consumers. The FTC said the hidden sexually explicit content in the game should have been reflected in its original rating. An "M" for Mature rating for the game was elevated to "AO" for Adults Only -- and removed from many store shelves at a cost of $24.5 million to Take-Two -- when the hidden content was discovered. Under the terms of the settlement with the FTC, Take-Two and Rockstar agreed not to misrepresent game ratings in the future, and will report to the FTC on efforts to establish a system to ensure that all game content is considered and reviewed before submission to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). Should the companies violate the agreement, they will be subject to a fine of up to $11,000 per violation.