EA…Antitrust…We know not what you’re talking about!?!
I don’t think EA will ever lose the stigma of being the Evil Empire of the gaming industry. And when using kitschy Star Wars references like those, it's hard for me not to compare T2 to the scrappy Rebel Alliance; fighting the good fight in their jerry-rigged x-wings, desperately trying to hit that flippin’ exhaust port and blow the whole damn takeover to smithereens! (OK…Star Wars reference over) And now the Federal Trade Commission has started to say “Hey now…that’s too much!” But something about all of this smells of ‘2’ little ‘2’ late. ('2' Fast '2' Furious...ok, really. I'm done.)
The truth? We live in a world of mega-corporations. When you see an independent film today, don’t be shocked to find out that the independent studio that backed it (even with regard to foreign films) is owned by an arm of a Dreamworks or Warner Brothers and so on. That’s the problem; the FTC will probably see this as the natural course of conglomeration with regard to the video game industry.
Part of me wants to scream when I think about that. But the other part of me has to admit the reality of situation: games (like most things) cost money. In addition, stock holders like money…and money buys loyalty (just ask Niko Bellic).
Another thing that irks me is that Take-Two is doing everything possible to make the FTC not rule in its favor. Take for example the recent request by the FTC to look at files pertinent to EA’s bid for Take-Two and rival sports game designer 2K (owned by Take-Two). Here’s my thought: when the government is willing to take your side, you don’t bitch about turning over files to the people that can save you from “hostile-takeover” land.
As quoted from Gamepolitics, Take-Two feels,
“It should not be burdened with providing the documents since it was EA that inititated (sic) the uninvited takeover attempt.”
And while I would love to tell the cop that gave me a ticket the other day for walking between the subway cars (harassment) to go piss off because I’m disinclined to accept his inflated ticket, I don’t get that option Take-Two. And you guys don’t either.
Even analyst-savant Michael Pachter and ‘Level-Up’ legal correspondent Justin Blankenship are just baffled by the ‘stonewall’ (read: bonehead) tactics being used by Take-Two. Posted on N’Gai Croal’s Newsweek Editorial 'Level Up' on June 12th, Blankenshipship writes,
“I would echo Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter's comments to GamePolitics.com that you wouldn't expect Take-Two to be stonewalling in this situation. You would think that as the unwilling target of EA, it would be in Take-Two's best interests to hand everything over to the FTC as soon as possible with every incriminating quote already highlighted, complete with its own commissioned economic study about how EA would destroy competition in sports videogames, all wrapped up with a pretty red bow.”
Straussy, bubby, make a point of telling your people to do the right thing. Do what the FTC asks you to do. They are doing this because there’s a whiff of dead gaming industry in the air; it’s stale from the lack of competition. I know you would rather eat a newborn child than have T2 fall to the hands of ‘Darth EA’. Just don’t let Jackie-B-Thompson overhear that. Then again, he’s still got the Florida Bar to deal with.
I hate to end on a downer, but after all is said and done I don’t hold much hope for this working out in Take-Two’s favor. When the FTC is in your corner, the play is simple: they say jump, you say 'how high' and 'thank you for the opportunity.' You don't thumb your nose at the guys who are 1-step away from handing you to EA with it's blessing.
The only option Take Two has at this point is to do the right thing and make the guys at EA look like public enemy number one. Treat it like the Mafia trying to silence an informant. Something Puzo-esque. It shouldn’t be that hard. I mean they can start by using the picture at the top of this article as a road map to just how much destruction they leave in their wake.
I don’t think EA will ever lose the stigma of being the Evil Empire of the gaming industry. And when using kitschy Star Wars references like those, it's hard for me not to compare T2 to the scrappy Rebel Alliance; fighting the good fight in their jerry-rigged x-wings, desperately trying to hit that flippin’ exhaust port and blow the whole damn takeover to smithereens! (OK…Star Wars reference over) And now the Federal Trade Commission has started to say “Hey now…that’s too much!” But something about all of this smells of ‘2’ little ‘2’ late. ('2' Fast '2' Furious...ok, really. I'm done.)
The truth? We live in a world of mega-corporations. When you see an independent film today, don’t be shocked to find out that the independent studio that backed it (even with regard to foreign films) is owned by an arm of a Dreamworks or Warner Brothers and so on. That’s the problem; the FTC will probably see this as the natural course of conglomeration with regard to the video game industry.
Part of me wants to scream when I think about that. But the other part of me has to admit the reality of situation: games (like most things) cost money. In addition, stock holders like money…and money buys loyalty (just ask Niko Bellic).
Another thing that irks me is that Take-Two is doing everything possible to make the FTC not rule in its favor. Take for example the recent request by the FTC to look at files pertinent to EA’s bid for Take-Two and rival sports game designer 2K (owned by Take-Two). Here’s my thought: when the government is willing to take your side, you don’t bitch about turning over files to the people that can save you from “hostile-takeover” land.
As quoted from Gamepolitics, Take-Two feels,
“It should not be burdened with providing the documents since it was EA that inititated (sic) the uninvited takeover attempt.”
And while I would love to tell the cop that gave me a ticket the other day for walking between the subway cars (harassment) to go piss off because I’m disinclined to accept his inflated ticket, I don’t get that option Take-Two. And you guys don’t either.
Even analyst-savant Michael Pachter and ‘Level-Up’ legal correspondent Justin Blankenship are just baffled by the ‘stonewall’ (read: bonehead) tactics being used by Take-Two. Posted on N’Gai Croal’s Newsweek Editorial 'Level Up' on June 12th, Blankenshipship writes,
“I would echo Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter's comments to GamePolitics.com that you wouldn't expect Take-Two to be stonewalling in this situation. You would think that as the unwilling target of EA, it would be in Take-Two's best interests to hand everything over to the FTC as soon as possible with every incriminating quote already highlighted, complete with its own commissioned economic study about how EA would destroy competition in sports videogames, all wrapped up with a pretty red bow.”
Straussy, bubby, make a point of telling your people to do the right thing. Do what the FTC asks you to do. They are doing this because there’s a whiff of dead gaming industry in the air; it’s stale from the lack of competition. I know you would rather eat a newborn child than have T2 fall to the hands of ‘Darth EA’. Just don’t let Jackie-B-Thompson overhear that. Then again, he’s still got the Florida Bar to deal with.
I hate to end on a downer, but after all is said and done I don’t hold much hope for this working out in Take-Two’s favor. When the FTC is in your corner, the play is simple: they say jump, you say 'how high' and 'thank you for the opportunity.' You don't thumb your nose at the guys who are 1-step away from handing you to EA with it's blessing.
The only option Take Two has at this point is to do the right thing and make the guys at EA look like public enemy number one. Treat it like the Mafia trying to silence an informant. Something Puzo-esque. It shouldn’t be that hard. I mean they can start by using the picture at the top of this article as a road map to just how much destruction they leave in their wake.
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