Report Suggests Ubisoft Interest In Take-Two

A report from business website Forbes has suggested that French publisher and developer Ubisoft may be interested in making a bid for Take-Two Interactive, despite ongoing attempts at a hostile takeover from Electronic Arts. The Forbes article quotes analysts as suggesting that Activision and Ubisoft are the most likely alternative suitors for Take-Two Interactive. This follows Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick’s repeated confirmations that the firm is considering a wide range of companies - and not just Electronic Arts - in terms of mergers or takeovers. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot recently revealed a $1.2 billion warchest of funds, which the company intends to use to acquire new studios and companies and expand its move into other markets. Although much less than the $2 billion Electronic Arts is currently offering for Take-Two, analysts consider a merger in particular to be a real possibility. "Ubisoft has shown they do a good job of managing original intellectual property. Culturally, Take-Two developers would not have a problem at Ubisoft because they allow a decent degree of creative freedom," Cowen analyst Doug Creutz told Forbes. "Ubisoft has grown phenomenally over the past few years," adds Signal Hill analyst Todd Greenwald. "But the only way for them to continue to grow is to enter categories that they aren't in."