Items tagged with (NASDAQ:TTWO)
A newly discovered patent by Take-Two Interactive hints that Grand Theft Auto VI will have smarter non-playable characters (NPCs), which has our minds swirling with possibilities. Rather than following programmed directives, NPCs that leverage advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities could potentially feel like more life-like, in the decisions they make in the game. We might be getting ahead of ourselves a bit—we have no idea what exactly Take-Two and its Rockstar Games subsidiary have planned for the next GTA installment, and to be clear, GTA VI has not been announced—but we would certainly welcome smarter NPCs. Not just for the GTA series, but for gaming in general. The...
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Take-Two Interactive nearly acquired Codemasters in a deal worth approximately $994 million. In fact, the publisher thought it was a foregone conclusion, having announced in November that it had reached an agreement with the developer of Dirt 5 and other racing sims. But then Electronic Arts swooped in at the final hour with a better offer, announcing today it has reached an agreement to buy Codemasters for an implied enterprise value of $1.2 billion. Cue the State Farm commercial with the elder fisherman dangling a dollar and taunting, "Ooh you almost had it, you gotta be quicker than that." "Electronic Arts and Codemasters have a shared ambition to lead the video game racing category. The Board...
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Take-Two Interactive has reached an agreement to purchase UK-based publisher Codemasters. With an implied equity value at approximately $994M, the deal will bring the racing game publisher into Take-Two's portfolio for more projected profits in the coming years. Codemasters publishes the F1, Dirt, and Project Cars series', and will now work under Take-Two and its 2K label while retaining the CEO and CFO. In a statement, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, explained that this acquisition of Codemasters was part of a vision to "deliver the highest quality entertainment experiences and aim to be the most innovative, creative and efficient company in our industry." He also stated that "Codemasters...
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Ah nuts, Kerbal Space Program 2 will stay grounded this year, and instead will launch sometime in 2022. This adds to a string of delays for various reasons, one of which was attributed to the Coronavirus pandemic. But hey, at least it has not been cancelled (and 2022 is not far away, though it's not clear when exactly next year the game will launch). Kerbal Space Program 2 has a bit of weird history that includes talent poaching and a cancelled contract. It is the sequel to Kerbal Space Program, which launched to PC in 2015, followed by releases to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 a little over a year later. Had things gone to the initial plan for Kerbal Space Program 2, it would have launched...
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In early August, Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO, attempted to justify why a price hike for games was needed. Now that next-gen console announcements are floating about, Zelnick is elaborating on his stance in a new interview. As technology improves, the game development industry has had to adapt over time to provide a good experience for gamers. As such, the cost of development has likely increased. Similar to his previous statements, “The bottom line is that we haven't seen a front-line price increase for nearly 15 years,” Zelnick said to Protocol. “Production costs have gone up 200 to 300%. But more to the point since no one really cares what your production costs...
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Previously, we reported on the game-breaking bugs that cropped up when Rockstar Games rolled out a patch for Red Dead Online. Now, it seems Rockstar has taken to walking back their update rather than just taping over the holes with new patches. Earlier this week, a patch for the “naturalist” update on Red Dead Online lead to some rather interesting issues, such as horses not running correctly and appearing possessed (as seen below thanks to u/KnlKorn), NPCs vanishing or appearing ghostly, and guns not aiming correctly. After that update, users went to social media to discuss their numerous issues, which seemingly put an unfavorable spotlight on Rockstar Games. This spotlight seems...
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An update to Red Dead Online has seemingly led to a whole host of issues for online outlaws around the world. This update has been anticipated for a while, with the promise of a new Frontier Pursuit mode, community content suggestions, and purported bug fixes. However, it seems the new content and bug fixes have opened a whole new can of worms for developer Rockstar Games. On July 28th, Rockstar Games released the “naturalist” inspired update with new content, bug fixes, and a battle-pass aspect of the game. With any new update, one could expect some bugs and glitches here and there, and that is what Rockstar looked to address with this latest patch. It seems, however, that they went...
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At least one publisher is planning to charge a premium for games released on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (some of them, anyway), compared to what the same titles will go for on current-gen consoles (Xbox One and PlayStation 4). As such, pricing for NBA 2K21 has been set at $69.99 for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and $59.99 for current-gen consoles. And according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, the price hike is "justified." Whether other publishers follow suit remains to be seen. But for Take-Two Interactive, a $10 bump is a "modest price change" that is perhaps long overdue. "There hasn't been a price increase for frontline titles for a really long time, despite the fact that...
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Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is an elusive beast that has eluded [official] detection for years. The current “big dog” Grand Theft Auto V was first released way back in September 2013, and has been available across two console generations (Xbox 360/PS3 and Xbox One/PS4). It will even be available natively on next-generation Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles, which is quite unprecedented in the gaming realm. So, while Rockstar seems reticent to just letting us wait in agony for any news on GTA 6, it is at least giving us some new updates on its two current hot properties: GTA Online and Red Dead Online. In the case of the incredibly popular (and highly lucrative) GTA Online,...
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2K Games today revealed pricing for its upcoming NBA 2K21 game, which will launch first on current-generations game systems (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows PCs, and Google Stadia), then later on Microsoft's and Sony's respective next-generation consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. However, pricing will not be the same on current-gen and next-gen platforms, at least not for the standard edition. Regardless of platform, NBA 2K21 will arrive in two main releases—standard and a special Mamba Forever Edition honoring the late Kobe Bryant, the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar who perished this year in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna...
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Take-Two pulled off a questionable move on an independent game developer called Star Theory Games. The independent developer had been contracted by Take-Two to build a game called Kerbal Space Program 2. Last December, employees of Star Theory received a recruitment message via LinkedIn on a Friday night that dropped quite a bomb at the studio. The recruitment message the employees received was from a publishing label within Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. called Private Division, and said it was pulling the game from Star Theory. Not only was it pulling the game, but it was also asking the entire staff of the development studio to apply for positions at Take-Two. The recruitment message was...
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We’ve had quite a bit of time to assess Google’s Stadia streaming platform, especially after the free tier for the service first launched nearly two months ago (you can read the HotHardware review here). Stadia brings the promise of “up to” 4K/60 game streaming with HDR and 5.1 surround sound supports on laptops, TVs, desktops, and even smartphones. However, some in the industry haven’t been impressed with what Google has brought to the table; at least initially. One such voice is Strauss Zelnick, who serves as the CEO of Take-Two. While there’s no doubt that streaming will indeed be part of gaming’s future, it’s apparent that Zelknick...
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A pair of leaks have turned up on 4Chan that claim to outline details of Rockstar's forthcoming Grand Theft Auto 6. Fans of the franchise would do well to take these rumors with a grain of salt as there's no way to know for sure if any of these details are accurate. The leaker on 4Chan goes by Rhanadeng and claims to have been a friend of a disgruntled employee working on the game during 2019. The source claims that this employee allegedly asked him to anonymously leak information about GTA 6. However, things later improved, and he lost contact with the Rockstar team member. One key detail is that this person also claims the game has been in active development since 2016 or 2017, with pre-production...
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Take-Two Interactive is definitely not a fan of “Hot Coffee”, and no, we are not talking about your favorite Starbucks order. Take-Two recently demanded that a Red Dead Redemption 2 mod with sexual themes be removed. The Red Dead Redemption 2 mod “Hot Coffee” allows players to have physical intercourse with women in the game. The game already includes some nudity and brief sexual content, however, players themselves are not permitted to engage in it. This Red Dead Redemption 2 mod is inspired by the minigame “Hot Coffee” from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Carl "CJ" Johnson, the main character in GTA: San Andreas, takes one of his girlfriends out...
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The sports world is reeling from the tragic loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people who perished over the weekend when a helicopter they were riding in crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California. It doesn't matter if you are religious or an atheist, a basketball fan or are not into sports all—this unfortunate loss reverberates people from all walks of life. In the wake of it all, NBA 2K and its fans are doing their part to heal and honor the former Lakers superstar who elevated the sport of basketball and inspired a generation of players to pursue their dreams. It hurts to write about this. I've been a basketball fan probably since the...
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Fans of Grand Theft Auto V, who don't already have the game on Xbox One, will be happy to hear about the latest news from Microsoft. The game has been added to Xbox Game Pass, so players with a valid subscription can play the game on the console. GTA V launched back in 2013 and remains a very popular game thanks to online content updates and a massive modding community. GTA V is also one of the most viewed games on Twitch and is regularly in the top five games on Steam. Rockstar hit a home run with GTA V, and adding it for free to Xbox Game Pass may bring gamers to the franchise that haven't yet tried it out. For Xbox One gamers with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Live Gold membership, access...
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Time sure flies, doesn't it? We are about to ring in a brand new year, and as we do so, the release of Grand Theft Auto V is now more than six years old (and is fast approaching five years on PC). Given the time that has elapsed, it is certainly possible (maybe even plausible) that Rockstar Games is deep in development on Grand Theft Auto VI. To that end, a supposed QA tester claims to have the skinny on the next installment. We should preface this information with a disclaimer. There is no way of knowing if the supposed QA tester is what the person claims to be, or if any of the leaked details are accurate. All we know is that it's been a long time since the last Grand Theft Auto gaming (though...
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Do you have a holiday gift card burning a hole in your pocket? If you are a Doom fan or have been itching to try out the game, now may be the time to strike. Doom with all its DLCs is currently on sale for $5.99 USD. The award-winning game is on sale as a digital download on both Newegg and Steam for a mere $5.99, or 70% off. The deal includes both the 2016 base game and the DLCs: "Unto the Evil", "Hell Followed", and "Bloodfall". It also features all of the maps, modes, and weapons, Arcade Mode, Photo Mode, and even the latest Update 6.66. Update 6.66 offers a variety of multiplayer improvements, including better multiplayer progression. There are a couple of important details to note about...
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We've been hearing rumors for months that a PC port of the wildly popular game Red Dead Redemption 2 was on the way. Developer Rockstar has been mum on the release, even as more and more hints have leaked regarding its impending launch trickled out. Today, Rockstar confirmed that the game is coming to the Windows PC platform, and the launch date is right around the corner: November 5th. For gamers that want to jump ahead in line, you can go ahead and download the newly launched Rockstar Games Launcher and preorder the game starting on October 9th. As an added bonus, it was also announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be among the many titles available for Google's new Stadia...
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Gearbox Software's latest game, Borderlands 3, is enjoying enormous success on PC and console, though some gamers have run into performance issues on both platforms. Fortunately on PC, adjusting the resolution and tweaking the settings can yield immediate results (though some players have already asked for a framerate fix). The options on console are a bit more limited, though there is a simple setting that could improve performance. The setting is also a bit deceiving. On the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro, Gearbox allows Borderlands 3 to run at 3200x1800 for more visual pop, with framerates capped at 30 frames per second (fps). This is the resolution mode. Alternatively, users can prioritize...
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Are you getting hyped for Borderlands 3 yet? Fans of the Borderlands franchise who plan to preorder the upcoming installment would be wise to head over to Amazon, at least if planning to play on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. That's because Amazon is offering a couple of bonuses, one of which is a $10 promotional credit. The baseline Standard Edition of Borderlands 3 costs $59.99, and that is what you will have to pay upfront to preorder the game. If you are a Prime member, Amazon will email you a $10 promotional credit 30-35 days after the game ships. Yes, it's a bummer having to wait a month, but it beats preordering the game and getting nothing in return. There's also a second bonus offer....
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Ah, the many perks of being an Amazon Prime member. One of those is free entry into the Twitch Prime tier, which itself comes with several benefits, including exclusive items and freebies. Related to that, Rockstar Games is partnering with Twitch Prime, and to get the party started, it is gifting members some sweet Red Dead Online and GTA Online goodies. "We're excited to partner with Twitch Prime on a new program kicking off this month—giving Social Club members and Twitch Prime subscribers free in-game rewards, bonuses, and exclusive discounts for both GTA Online and Red Dead Online for several months to come," Rockstar Games said. To cash in, you will need to link your Twitch Prime account...
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