A recent report claims that Take-Two Interactive"s versatile lineup of products may be enough for Microsoft to consider a buyout of the company.
Following the release of its Xbox console, Microsoft may be aggressively pursuing a variety of acqusitions in bringing more exclusive content to its console. According to a report in Business Week, which cites analysts" observations, Microsoft may be particularly interested in acquiring New York-based publisher Take-Two Interactive. Officially, Take-Two Interactive could not comment, saying that the merger talks are only rumors at this point. When asked about a possible buyout, Paul Eibeler, president of Take-Two Interactive, declined to discuss any specific mergers, but did say that consolidation in the industry remains a possibility.
Analysts feel that Take-Two Interactive"s strong lineup of products, including Max Payne, the upcoming Duke Nukem Forever, and Grand Theft Auto III for the Sony PlayStation 2, makes the company particularly attractive to Microsoft--especially given its stock is undervalued and trading at about $14.