The Board of Directors of Take-Two Interactive on Friday rejected a bid of $26 per share from Electronic Arts to buy the company, which would have amounted to about $2 Billion in cash. Undaunted, EA on Monday took their offer directly to Take-Two's investors, saying that with the company trading at $15.83 per share as of Friday, that their offer of $26 is a good one. "There can be no certainty that in the future EA or any other buyer would pay the same high premium we are offering today," EA chief executive John Riccitiello said in a Feb. 19 … Continue reading Electronic Arts Trying To Buy A Resistant Take-Two →

SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that The Club has shipped to retailers across North America for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows. Creating a radically new kind of action experience, The Club combines the shooting genre with the break-neck speed of high-octane race titles. Developed by the award-winning studio Bizarre Creations, The Club is an action-shooter that enables players to fight as one of eight uniquely trained killers in a shadowy underground blood-sport. The anonymous, obscenely wealthy and influential members of the Club place their … Continue reading Sega Ships The Club →

PlaySpan, a leading provider of integrated and publisher-sponsored commerce for games and virtual worlds, is working with IBM (NYSE:IBM) to bring a fully integrated, cross platform commerce service to the games and interactive entertainment market. Gamers increasingly want to enjoy buying and selling goods with their peers without leaving the game. Many gamers also have an interest in buying and selling game-related merchandise outside of the game. Santa Clara, Calif.-based PlaySpan has selected powerful IBM BladeCenter servers as its exclusive game-commerce server platform. IBM's high-performance and highly scalable servers deliver a powerful, reliable and secure platform for PlaySpan's software as … Continue reading PlaySpan Picks IBM For E-Commerce →

CD Projekt RED is pleased to announce that in May of this year, a new and improved version of The Witcher will appear in stores, a game already considered by many players and media to be the best PC RPG of 2007! Michał Kiciński, CEO of CD Projekt described the idea behind The Witcher Enhanced Edition: "The leading idea during the development of The Witcher Enhanced Edition is to create a game that is devoid of all of the major criticisms levied at the original release. The Witcher was received very warmly by both players and the media, but we … Continue reading Enhanced Version of The Witcher Coming →

Last night the Video Game, Animation Industry and Digital Art Students turned out in full force to celebrate Canadian supremacy in the fastest growing entertainment industry in the world. Canadian video game developers and publishers, animators and studio heads and the brightest students and top academia gathered at 2nd Annual Elan Awards held at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts in eager anticipation to learn the winning names behind some of the biggest games and shows in North America. This year's show also saw the Elan Awards open up to include International Award Categories attracting companies such as … Continue reading ELAN Award Winners Announced →

The World Bunco Association, owners of the Bunco trademark, announced today they have chosen Ultizen Games Ltd., a game development and outsourcing company, to create "World of Bunco", a social gaming network scheduled to debut this summer. Bunco is a dice game played by an estimated 17 million people around the world who organize Bunco parties of typically 12 players in a social, friendly and fun atmosphere. Bunco Games can last for hours with prizes awarded throughout the game and screams of "BUNCO!" heard throughout neighborhoods when a player rolls three of the same dice matching a corresponding round number … Continue reading Ultizen To Create World of Bunco →

KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, today announced that Naoki Katashima has been appointed to the role of Executive Vice President of KOEI Ltd. in the UK, KOEI France, and KOEI Corporation in North America. In this new position, he will manage the sales and marketing operations in each of these territories. Mr. Katashima's appointment is part of KOEI's new mid-term plan, which also includes the formation of two global business divisions within company's headquarters at Yokohama, Japan. Each division will focus specifically on the Western and Asian markets, respectively. In addition to his … Continue reading Naoki Katashima Is KOEI Executive VP →

Greenberg Glusker today announced that its client, Ubisoft Entertainment, one of the world's largest video game publishers, has obtained a $13.2 million judgment in a copyright and trademark infringement dispute against MGA Entertainment, the owner of Bratz dolls. Greenberg Glusker attorneys Stephen Smith and Suann MacIsaac, joining with Dale Kinsella of Kinsella, Weitzman, Iser, Kump & Aldisert, represented Ubisoft in the American Arbitration Association (AAA) arbitration that led to the judgment. "We are thrilled with the result, and we feel completely vindicated," said Ubisoft's General Counsel Cecile Russeil. "We could not have achieved this outcome without attorneys who mastered every … Continue reading Ubisoft Wins $13 Million Bratz Judgment Against MGA →

Twofish, Inc. today launched Twofish Elements, the game industry's first turnkey solution for powering a dynamic and realistic in-game economy. A true Economic Engine, Twofish Elements integrates seamlessly into games, provides a flexible and secure banking and retail infrastructure, and puts complex economic analytics at a game operator's fingertips. The technology solves core problems with an emerging business model for the video game industry, in which games are distributed for free and players "pay-as-they-play," making small in-game purchases called micro-transactions. "Micro-transactions are here and now. But they require a whole new level of sophistication for the games industry," said Lee … Continue reading Twofish Elements Economy Engine Released →

Dear Editor, John Breeden's interesting article on which way a publisher should go: High end graphics that most gamers haven't got, or slick gameplay, like Sid Meier's Pirates that do not have high end graphics, as well as the problem of PC gaming and the temptation of moving to console got me thinking" In a gentle way he has hit on what will decide the future of the PC gaming format. Last year was the crossroads. And this year and next will decide whether PC gaming turns the corner or carrying straight on to oblivion (to coin a word!). 2007 … Continue reading Dear Editor: Story Beats Graphics →