• Silicon Alley Insider, Friday, February 29, 2008 11:01 AM

Beleaguered video game maker Take-Two Interactive, which last week turned down a $2 billion offer from Electronic Arts, claims it's had other offers from bigger game publishers, but the company isn't saying from whom. There aren't that many possibilities aside from EA, and according to various sources, none of them seem interested. Take Two's other options would have to be either Viacom, French publisher Ubisoft or Activision Blizzard. The latter is unlikely because Activision and Blizzard are still working out their merger, sources tell the Silicon Alley Insider that Viacom isn't interested, and TheDeal.com (link: http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2008/02/ubisoft_as_taketwos_hero_not_s.php) calls an Ubisoft-Take Two union about "as far-fetched as the plot-lines of their video games."

The Grand Theft Auto publisher doesn't have any other serious offers, although Viacom has left the door open to change its mind. In just-field documents to the SEC the company admits as much: "From time to time the Company receives, and since the issuance of the press release by EA the Company has received, informal indications of interest in a business combination. However, the Company has not received any written 'Offers' ... and has not engaged in any substantive discussions with any party (including EA) with respect to a business combination," the statement reads.

Take-Two is now formally on the block.

Read the whole story at Silicon Alley Insider »