Rockstar have just issued a press release regarding the pending launch of the 'Rockstar Social Club'. Rather than explain the ins-and-outs of it all, here is the press release in its entirety.

On April 29th Rockstar Games will release the most anticipated game of 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV. In addition to the game, the company is launching the Rockstar Social Club, a new website that will extend your experience of Grand Theft Auto IV and all future Rockstar Games titles.

The Rockstar Social Club is more than just a standard gaming site. It features all of the statistical leaderboards that gamers have come to expect, and combines them with performance-based competitions and awards.

Registration for the Rockstar Social Club begins on April 15th and anyone can sign up with their Xbox Gamertag and/or a PlayStation Network ID.

GTA IV, the first game featured on the Rockstar Social Club, has exciting features beyond multiplayer leaderboards, including:

* LCPD Police Blotter — A virtual map and tracker of single-player criminal activity logged in Liberty City from the aggregated data of millions of connected players - showing the most dangerous areas of town, most commonly used weapons and more.

* The Story Gang — This special single-player leaderboard recognizes players who complete Niko Bellic's main story arc of Grand Theft Auto IV - The leaderboard ranks players according to the total amount of playing time it's taken to complete the story, as well as a historical rank by who has completed it first. Members of this club will receive special online widgets and merit badges marking all of their in-game accomplishments.

* The 100% Club — Watch to see who will be the first to complete 100% of the game. The first ten people to be identified on the Social Club as reaching 100% will be sent an ultra-rare commemorative 'key to the city' to mark their accomplishment. In the future, the 100% Club will then carry a historical leaderboard showing rankings of who has completed 100% of a game in the shortest span of playing hours.

* The Hall of Fame — This area will dynamically recognize those singularly elite players who have reached the top of the hill on various statistical leaderboards, and will also contain a personal awards display of special in-game landmarks and successes in Social Club competitions.

* The Liberty City Marathon — A ranking of special physical milestones achieved in the game - from the amount of miles walked, driven, or swam - to the number of bullets fired and stunt-jumps jumped. There will be additional special marathon-based competitions in the future from this area as well.

The Rockstar Social Club doesn't stop there. With special competitions, leaderboards and challenges rolling out regularly in the weeks and months following the game's release, this is just the beginning of an on-going Liberty City experience and is a small taste of what's to come from Rockstar Games for GTAIV and beyond...

Sounds pretty cool, the 'key to the city' in particular sounds nifty. Anyone here going to step up to that challenge?

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Kent Online is reporting that Julian Brazier, a Kent MP, has blasted the BBFC over the announcement that Manhunt 2 will be released in the UK.

This shows once again that the BBFC and its appeals system do not meet the concerns of the public. The public wants a significant tightening up in this vital area.We need a consensus that videos and video games involving extreme violence are extremely anti-social.Watching these things happen does affect people’s behaviour.We’ve got to recognise that there’s a strong link between what people watch and what they do.

Today also saw the release of the Byron Review which was commissioned by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown late last year. As expected the results of which were in favour of single age rating system for games, the BBFC will be rating all games that fall under the 12, 15 and 18 categories, previously they dealt with games that fall under the 15 or 18 categories. Games rated for below the age of 12 will continue to be rated by PEGI.

Anyone in the UK that has turned a news channel on today has likely seen just how much coverage this issue has been getting, for those that are unable to view these broadcasts you can rest assured that Manhunt, Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City have been the games primarily shown while discussing the issue. They do not mention the games directly but they continue to air the trailers for the games. My favourite of them all though has to be the ITV broadcasts that show some kids playing Bioshock on the Nintendo Wii, I had no idea it was out for the Wii…

As a reminder, tonight will also see the release of the fourth Grand Theft Auto IV trailer by Rockstar Games. Titled 'Good Lord, What Are You Doing?' AKA 'Everyone's a Rat’; this will be the last trailer before the launch of the game at the end of April.

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MCV has asked a few videogame industry analysts about the chances of Manhunt 2 or Grand Theft Auto IV being released as an EA published game rather than Take-Two.

The analysts appear to be in conflict over the chances of the games being released by EA with Nicholas Lovell and Nick Parker believing it is a possibility while David Cole, Colin Sebastian and the seemingly to-go-to man when it concerns commenting on the current state of Take-Two Michael Pachter believing that there simply isn't enough time for them to be released under the EA banner.

Lodestar freelance analyst Nicholas Lovell:

I do believe GTA IV will be an EA game. Whether it is the same game that it would have been under Take Two remains to be seen.

I could also imagine EA trying to keep the Rockstar brand as an edgier label, in the same way that wholesome, family-friendly Disney released films like Pulp Fiction or Gangs of New York under the Miramax label.

Parker Consulting’s Nick Parker:

The timing is crucial – hostile bids can take a long time to resolve and who knows T2 may be successful in defending it. If EA succeeds, it should benefit from some of the GTAIV revenues although the reason to buy T2 should be based on longer term potential of all IPs, not just on this year’s results.

Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter:

The deal won't close for two or three months, so neither GTA IV nor Manhunt 2 will be released under EA's watch (unless, of course, one or the other is further delayed).

DFC Intelligence president David Cole:

A takeover like this will take some time. For one it has to get regulatory approval. I don’t think there is any way GTAIV would be an EA game before release.

Lazard Capital Markets’ Colin Sebastian:

I doubt that EA could close a transaction so quickly, but clearly they would like to capture as much GTA revenue as possible this year.

For those that haven’t been keeping up to date with these events, the bid by EA to buyout Take-Two Interactive has recently turned into a hostile takeover attempt, whereby EA is attempting to purchase the company through shares and against the board of directors at Take-Two' own will. A move that has been labelled ‘the most hostile in history’.

Personally I don’t see either Manhunt 2 or Grand Theft Auto IV being published by EA, for one the move would be disruptive to the release of both games and two, as mentioned by some of the analysts there simply is not enough time left before these games are released to make this possible.

The only thing that is for sure is that EA have their focus set on acquiring Take-Two, a move which will become more difficult after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. With any luck Take-Two will be able to stall the process, the company appears to have a strong line-up of games in the pipeline through until the end of 2009, if all the games hit their mark then they should be able to prevent the takeover.

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MCV has posted an interesting article, whereby they speculate that the BBFC may have blown any credibility they have in the rating videogames over their conduct regarding Manhunt 2.

The editor of BBC News technology, Darren Waters, comments:

The grudging nature of the BBFC’s statement, that it now has “no alternative” but to grant the title a certificate, coupled with the fact the body went to the High Court, twice rejected the game itself and tried to overturn the original judgment of the VAC leaves the organisation with its credibility bruised.

More crucially, the BBFC’s role as a body which classifies games is now under scrutiny.

There has been confusion among consumers as to why there are often two certificates on UK games, from the BBFC and European body PEGI.

Dr Tanya Byron is expected to deliver her report into video games, violence and children later this month and I understand she favours handing the job to PEGI. The BBFC’s dogged fight to ban Manhunt 2, even though industry figures lined up to defend the title, might come back to haunt it.

TechDigest’s Jonathan Weinberg echoes the comments of Darren Waters:

The argument here is not whether Manhunt 2 is bloody, brutal, sick or whatever superlative people want to choose. What it shows is that the current certification system the Government can’t wait to get involved in is not worth the paper it is written on.

The Government sanctioned report into violence in videogames by Dr. Tanya Byron is due for release next Thursday, March 27. The report is speculated to be in favour of one ratings body for the UK.

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Tech Radar have an exclusive running which names the 7 members on the Manhunt 2 Video Appeals Committee, they have said that the BBFC gave them the names after they sent emails asking for information but the BBFC did not say who voted in favour and who didn't, these are the seven people involved:

John Wood - VAC president, former director of serious fraud office
Biddy Baxter - TV producer
Barry Davies - former deputy director of social services and chair of area child protection committee
Pauline Grey – district chairman of the tribunal service and member of the gender recognition panel
Prof John Last – former lay member of the press council, lay member of bar standards board, visiting professor at City University
Dr. Neville March-Hunnings - lawyer, author of ‘Film Censors and the Law’
Dr. Sara Levene - Paediatric safety consultant.

Tech Radar have said that they intend to speak to as many of the seven people as they possibly can in an effort to find out their thoughts on Manhunt 2, video classification and the forthcoming Byron review, they also promise regular updates on what information they receive back.

Also on Tech Radar by way of an exclusive, they have been in contact with Rockstar's lawyer Lawrence Abramson who has made comments on both the BBFC and VAC saying that appeals are flawed because of a lack of game players, here is what Mr, Abramson had to say:

The problem as I see it with the current system of classification is that the members of the Video Appeals Committee do not as a general rule play games. Games are becoming more and more complicated and difficult to play; the experience one gets from playing a game is very different to the experience one gets from watching somebody else play it.

And so we find ourselves in the position on appeals that the body charged with determining the appeal are incapable of replicating the experience on which they are supposed to be sitting in judgment. I understand that Tanya Byron is expected to recommend that the regulation of games is taken outside of the BBFC/VAC procedure altogether and that instead the role of PEGI should be enhanced.

Does anyone think that PEGI will be able to rate all games in the UK at some point? It would save any rejected games bouncing back and forth between the BBFC and the VAC and then the high courts. If the past 9 months or so with Manhunt 2 is to be any indication then things need to change in regards to how the system works so that a rejected game can not only be appealed quicker but that the people who review the appeal have the final say since at the moment the BBFC can appeal an appeal decision by the VAC which doesn't make much sense.

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GamesIndustry.biz has received word from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that it will not intervene in the release of Manhunt 2 in the United Kingdom and that the issue is a matter of discussion between the BBFC and VAC. The DCM&S is sanctioned by the government in the United Kingdom to handle the responsibility of culture and sport.

The classification of Manhunt 2 is a matter for the BBFC and the Video Appeals Committee. It is important to note that there is no conclusive evidence of any link between playing computer games and violent behaviour in real life. Our concern is to make sure that inappropriate material is kept away from children.

The Prime Minister asked Dr Tanya Byron to lead a review to assess the effectiveness and adequacy of existing measures to help prevent children from being exposed to harmful or inappropriate material in videogames and on the internet, and to make recommendations for improvements or additional action.

Dr Byron's review will be published shortly and Ministers will give careful consideration to any recommendations then.

I am sure someone else will complain about the game being released and likely sooner rather than later.

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As you might have noticed over the past few hours the forum has been down so that we could do some maintenance. We have upgraded the forum to the latest version of phpBB and over the next few days we will be working on sorting issues that have come up due to the upgrade. The forum is online so head over there now and see what you think, don't worry you don't have to sign up again.

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The BBFC have said via a press release that the Video Appeals Committee have announced the results of their reconsideration of Manhunt 2 and with a majority vote of four to three VAC have decided for the second time that Manhunt 2 deserves an 18 certificate. In the press release the BBFC have said that in light of this they have no other alternative but to issue the game a rating of 18, Director of the BBFC David Cooke made the following statement:

As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an ‘18’ certificate to the game.

Rockstar Games have also issued the following statement regarding the news:

We are pleased that the VAC has reaffirmed its decision recognizing that Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18+ rated entertainment. Rockstar Games is committed to making great interactive entertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly and supporting an effective rating system.

Finally, it has took awhile but the BBFC have backed down, I am thinking the game could now have a possible May release although it could be earlier with GTA IV coming out at the end of April, hopefully we receive some news on a release date from Rockstar shortly. Before I forget the decision is for the edited version of the game that came out in North America and not the original version that some had suspected was going through the appeals process.

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Take2 have issued a press release that advises shareholders to take no action in response to the tender offer put forward by EA earlier today. Take-Two have announced that they will review the offer and get back to shareholders within 10 business days of their position on the offer and the reason for it. Here is the press release in full:

New York, NY - March 13, 2008 -The Board of Directors of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today recommended that Take-Two stockholders take no action at this time in response to the announcement by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) that it has made an unsolicited conditional tender offer to acquire all of Take-Two's outstanding shares of common stock for $26 per share in cash.

Consistent with its fiduciary duties, and in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, Take-Two's Board will review and consider EA's offer, and within 10 business days, will advise Take-Two's stockholders of the Board's position regarding the offer as well as its reasons for that position

Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers are acting as financial advisors to Take-Two and Proskauer Rose LLP is acting as legal advisor.

Should be interesting to see what happens in regards to what Take-Two have to say about this, hopefully shareholders agree to wait the 10 days to at least hear them out.

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The official EATake2 site set up by EA is offering Take-Two shareholders the chance to cash in shares at the same $26 price that Take Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick originally rejected when it was offered by EA, they have posted the following to shareholders:

Offer to Purchase for Cash All Outstanding Shares of Common Stock of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. at $26.00 Net Per Share by EA08 Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts Inc. THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT,NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

They also have a PDF file which you can view here for all the information on what this offer entails. If everything was to go to plan EA could effectively buy controlling interest in the company. In a press release on the EATake2 website, EA Chief Executive Officer John Riccitiello had the following to say about the proposed tender offer:

This is a great opportunity for Take-Two shareholders. We believe Take-Two investors will see our tender offer as the best way to maximize the value of their investment in Take-Two. This tender offer provides a clear process to complete the proposed transaction. For EA shareholders, the combination would add additional intellectual properties to our already strong portfolio and welcome Take-Two’s talented creative teams to the great development organization we’ve built at EA.

For the full press release head over to the EATake2 press releases page. The thing about this being, some major shareholders in Take-Two have already reduced their positions in the company by selling their shares at the $26 price, the question is will the rest now follow?

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Take-Two Interactive released their first quarter 2008 fiscal and financial results yesterday, the quarter runs from November 1st 2007 - January 31st 2008. During the conference call they revealed the sales for some of their game, amongst them was Manhunt.

Unfortunately it isn’t entirely clear if they are counting the cumulative sales of both of the Manhunt titles released thus far or just the original game in the series. Initially Take-Two chairman, Strauss Zelnick, was issuing the sales numbers for games as a 'brand' as in the entire back catalogue of each franchise, of which he issued the sales of the likes of Grand Theft Auto and Midnight Club. He then moved over to addressing the sales of the 'initial' games in brands such as Red Dead Revolver, in which he says Manhunt has sold in excess of 1.5 million units. I may be picking it up wrong, but I believe that Mr. Zelnick was only addressing the original Manhunt, which also echoes the rough estimate I was given several months before the release of Manhunt 2.

Although they didn't make any profit in the quarter they say that they out performed their initial guidance for the third quarter in a row and that they were pleased with their current standings.

They say they primarily benefited from sales of the Bioshock, Carnival Games and Manhunt 2. To put this in perspective Bioshock has sold around 2 million units and Carnival Games is in the region of 1 million, all being in line then it can be presumed that the sales of Manhunt 2 are in the least satisfactory.

With that said, later in the conference call it is mentioned that partial net loss was due to the 'reduced sales of a specific title', looking at the games released around that time I have got to wonder if they are meaning Manhunt 2. I am basing this on absolutely nothing so take it for what it is worth; an assumption. The reasons for me assuming this is that the game has not seen a release outside of North America, which would reduce the overall potential sales of the game, but does not mean it underperformed in its area of release. The only other game I can think of is Table Tennis on the Wii, which I think is actually doing ok as it does appear to be sitting in a chart position.

Forward thinking they say that there are 'sequels to some of Rockstar's triple A titles' and that the company (Take-Two) currently has 35 titles in development across the board. Of which I have got to believe that Red Dead Revolver 2 is one, there is also a PS3 exclusive in the works, but I believe that is an all new franchise they are creating for that system and who could forget Max Payne 3. There are a lot of rumours about that game, remember that one developer that was working on the sequel to Manhunt a few years back? Who also ported Max Payne to the Xbox and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox but are now closed, just saying is all. Back then it was for the Xbox 360, I am sure it will be headed to the PlayStation 3 too. Remedy and 3D Realms are out of the picture and the Max Payne brand is now owned by Take-Two, but I guess they could still outsource the game, if they wished.

They also announced Bioshock 2 for release in 2009, Carnival Games Mini Golf for the Nintendo Wii and Carnival Games on the Nintendo DS. I just thought I would point out that two of the three new titles to drive their revenue in recent months have now got a confirmed continuation of their brand, I wonder if the third does to.

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Gamepolitics.com have an article up which states that Take Two are being sued by a shareholder for aledgedly keeping EA's buyout offer a secret from shareholders while they made themselves a better deal. From the article:

The suit spotlights the board’s decision Feb. 15 to increase ZelnickMedia’s management fees and bonuses to what it calls “an exorbitant” $16.5 million, from $3.8 million, in the event the company were sold. The suit also questions a provision… that would grant ZelnickMedia 780,000 shares if the company were sold before March 31, 2009, and 1.5 million shares if it were sold after that date. At $26 a share, that stock grant would be worth $20 million to $39 million, depending on when the transaction closed….

What that means, if true, is they have increased the compensation that they would receive if the takeover were to become a reality. Also mentioned in an article on the same subject by Nytimes.com is an indication of what Take Two would offer employees who lose their jobs if the buyout took place anytime soon, from the article:

Meanwhile, an S.E.C. filing Monday revealed that Take-Two had adopted a severance plan for employees who lose their jobs because of a takeover by another firm, ostensibly to keep crucial workers from looking for more secure jobs elsewhere.

According to S.E.C. documents, filed late Friday, some Take-Two employees would receive as much as 1.5 times their salary and bonus for 18 months if fired because of a change in control.

This was put in place so that employees would "remain fully focused" on their work. Interesting if this becomes true, that would indicate that they fully intend to sell the company within the next year if the price is right. Take Two might not respond to this publicly but if they do I will update this post.

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Kent Online are reporting that the meeting between UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Giselle Pakeerah, Julian Brazier and Keith Vaz has taken place. It was to discuss concerns over the sale of adult orientated movies and videogames in Britain, it is reported in the article that Mr Brazier was disappointed that his bill was blocked when it was read out during his time in the Commons. Keith Vaz and Giselle Pakeerah were at the meeting in order to give support one of the reasons being the fact that Mr Brazier brings up the death of Stefan Pakeerah, Giselle's son which she blamed on the original Manhunt way back in 2004 in his Private Members Bill. They have several quotes from Mr Brazier:

He seemed to be concerned and was taking notes during our meeting, which is always a good sign. I was sad that the Government chose to block my bill, but I think there’s some chance that we’ll make some solid progress on this matter.

The BBC reports that the main things Mr Brazier hopes to get out of this bill are the following:

He wants Parliament to choose the four main officers of the BBFC. At present the BBFC makes all it appointments internally. He believes Parliament should have powers to force the BBFC to tighten its guidelines. He wants MPs to have the right to appeal against a classification. At present only the industry can appeal a decision - either to restore cut material or to lower a classification, but not to raise it or to have it banned.

I don't think a decision has been made one way or the other but I can't see it being a good thing if this is allowed to go through we could see many violent films and videogames for that matter being appealed by MP's like Keith Vaz and perhaps being blocked from release until things are removed.

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Leicester Mercury is reporting that UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to meet with the mother of Stefan Pakeerah, Giselle Pakeerah to discuss concerns over the sale of adult orientated videogames in Britain. For those unfamiliar with the name, Stefan Pakeerah’s death was blamed on the original Manhunt way back in 2004, the killer Warren LeBlanc was initially said to have been ‘inspired’ by Manhunt. It was shortly thereafter that it was revealed that it was actually 14 year old Stefan Pakeerah that owned the game and not the then 17 year old killer.

MP’s Julian Brazier and Keith Vaz are also said to be meeting with the Prime Minister in order to discuss the issue. The later of which said the following:

Stefan was a young, innocent boy with a promising future. This was snatched from him in a gruesome and horrific attack.

I want to discuss with the Prime Minister what can be done to stop these games being sold.

I also want to remind everyone of the release of ‘Columbine Simulator’, sorry I mean Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. The game is currently available in North America and is due for release in Europe this coming Friday. Having finished the PlayStation 2 version of the game I would highly recommend that those that have yet to experience the game to pick it up, the newly added content and improved graphics look as though they may be worth taking a double-dip for those that already own it on the PS2.

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