Take-Two Interactive Software, the distributor of Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) and other games, has given word that it is planning to expand into Asia Pacific markets. The company has tapped an experienced senior executive to help them establish a foothold in Asia. For more information, don't hesitate to click on the "read more" link below.

The biggest development these days in the video game industry is EA's plans to buy Take-Two Interactive. As you all know, however, the publisher has turned down the offer due to a couple of reasons.

But the biggest question here is why EA wants Take-Two so much. CEO John Riccitiello recently granted an interview and explained their stake on this deal. The full story awaits after the jump!

Oh yes! Surfer girl's at it again by riding the waves and waves of rumors circulating the net. As always, she's got a chockful of tales for all those who are interested. This time around she talks about, Disney's "inspired" Rock Band title, Mass Effect for the PC, news on a BioShock movie, and more. Details of the rumors after the jump!

 With ever-rising costs of production of a good-quality title, Take-Two Interactive CEO Ben Feder says that it's no wonder Activision and Vivendi merged. The industry stalwart even went as far as to say that consolidation in the industry is inevitable. Will this be the start of a new age in the gaming business?

Roll out the red carpet! Leipzig Messe has just announced the winners for the "Best of GC" during the Leipzig Games Convention 2007. The awards span across all current generation platforms and other industry-related tidbits showcased during the event, all dispersed under ten respective categories.

Among the list of 85 hardware and software entries, a lineup of finalists have been revealed. And with those finalists, it seemed to be a tough call on which to choose as the winner. Each of the finalists had their own big plus to bring into the table, that's for sure. Regardless, the winners have already been announced.

Here's the full list of winners of the Best of GC, each in their own category:

• God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony Computer Entertainment) - PSP
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami) - PS2
  
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami) - PS3
• BioShock (Take-Two Interactive) - Xbox 360
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega) - Nintendo Wii
• Eye Training (Nintendo) - Nintendo DS
• Crysis (Electronic Arts) - PC
• Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (Eidos) - Online
• Wii Balance Board - Hardware/Accessory/Product

An award was supposed to have been given for the Mobile category, however, there weren't enough participants to have warranted the prize.

Day 2 of the E3 Media and Business Summit seemed to be a more subdued affair compared to the events of the first day. As you guys will notice below in our daily recap, many of the news tidbits we covered for the day had more to do with the release of new assets for already announced games, along with a trickle of new information, screens and/or video for the newly announced games, such as Nintendo's Wii Fit fitness training program.

For some rather important news, you'll be able to find details on Ubisoft and Take-Two Interactive's E3 2007 briefing details, as well as look at more of the redesigned PSP in all of its slim glory. For our E3 first-look articles, you'll be able to take a gander at the first screens and info regarding Steven Spielberg's Project PQRS, as well as an exciting new dungeon addition to Blizzard's World of Warcraft: Zul'Aman. We also have tons of new screenshots and videos for everything from God of War: Chains of Olympus to Soul Calibur 4, so check our links below to savor more gaming goodness.

We're hard at work updating the site with more info so you don't miss a thing. While you wait for the latest 24/7 coverage of E3 2007, feel free to check our current coverage of day 2 of the summit, as well as our roundup of day 1. Enjoy!

Breaking News:

More images, comparison pics of the redesigned PSP
Take-Two E3 2007 Briefing details
Ubisoft E3 2007 Conference details

All the latest updates after the jump!

Online site Game Politics reports that beleaguered Miami attorney Jack Thompson emailed them the other day regarding the writ the Florida Supreme Court sent to him. Before this, Thompson was already having problems with the Florida bar with the latter denying his complaints time and time again.

Anyway, it seems that the writ is really aimed to silence Thompson as it demands the lawyer to acquiesce to a suspension. Part of the document reads,

The Bar has now demanded in writing that respondent Thompson accede to a 91-day suspension from the practice of law on the basis of his alleged unethical conduct in a) claiming that three families who are his clients are in fact his clients and b) preparing expert witnesses for their depositions.

We all know how determined Thompson is prompting him to sometimes cross the line when it comes to video games, so expect him to rebound. The document continues:

This demand that Thompson receive the vocational death penalty is based upon The Bar's secret collaboration with Blank Rome lawyers who represent Take-Two, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto murder simulation game. Blank Rome's lawyers are the authors of other actual Bar complaints filed against Thompson in order to facilitate their client's marketing of adult products to children.

Game Politics tried to speak with Thompson for clarifications but it seemed that the Miami attorney bounced around the questions as he answered,

I'm not suspended from the practice of law and won't be. I have no idea what The Bar is claiming in this absurd regard. I have no complaint in that regard because there is no complaint. This is all an over-reaching contrivance by The Florida Bar.

The "three families" mentioned above is believed to be the plaintiffs of Thompson's lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive and other game industry defendants that would amount to US$ 600 million.

The SEC announced that former CEO of Take-Two Interactive, Ryan Brant, agrees to part with almost US$ 7.3 million in connection to Take-Two's ongoing stock option scandal.

The amount includes the US$ 6.3 million of settlement money for the civil charges that the SEC has filed against Brant, and another US$ 1 million to New York state and local authorities. Gamespot reports that Brant also pleaded guilty to first-degree felony criminal charges of falsifying business records.

The SEC believes that from 1997 to 2003, Brant granted to himself, and other employees, stock option, and then altered records regarding when the option were granted in the intention to make them profitable to the receiver. The SEC's civil complaint says that not only was this done without the approval of the board of directors, but that Brant also directed Take-Two employees to prepare false documents to back up the stock option grants.

The amusing part about this story is that Brant already has a track record with the SEC. The commission says that Brant paid US$ 3.6 million to settle with the SEC for his alleged role in a financial fraud case at Take-Two in 2000-2001.

Brant stepped down as chairman and director of Take-Two in March 2004. He left the company in October 2006.

The SEC says that its investigation of the current Take-Two scandal is ongoing. Take-Two has already released results of its own independent investigation into the scandal, and the blame is pinned squarely on Brant.

Recently, Utah legislators discussed Bully for the PS2, calling it the "Columbine game" (in reference to the 1999 shootings at a Colorado high school) during a Utah House committee hearing for a proposed video game legislation. Over at GamePolitics, they wondered if this was a sign that anti-gaming propaganda spreads to the point that our lawmakers end up believing them - and if that's true, then that's cause for concern for all of us (that's why this article is cross-posted into several QJ gaming blogs).

So, in the off chance that legislators know how to read things on the Internet, let's get some things straight. Who knows? Perhaps some legislators who value the truth will try to find the truth, instead of having cronies, lackeys, and legal-political bullies spin a "truth" for the rest of society.

Is Bully a Columbine game? In the game, you play Jimmy, a prankster who stands up against bullies, who defends other students from bullies, and does "boys will be boys" things like going on a panty raid.

Some high-profile individuals have been calling the game a "Columbine simulator." However, others say that it is shameful to casually say "Columbine" as if the memory of Columbine was something people can casually use as a weapon in negative publicity smear campaigns.

On the other hand, some insist on a Columbine connection... (Read the rest of this section after the Jump. Just click on the "Full Article" link below.)

Is it a harmless "'Dennis the Menace' Simulator"? Detractors of the game say this is misleading. While "mature" and smart teenagers who play this game may remain unaffected by it, it can't be helped that delinquent and antisocial teenagers with violent tendencies will also be drawn to the game - and what happens when they act out in real life the fantasies the game has awakened? For them, the game is not harmless...

Other issues we covered in this article.

• What is it rated? The ESRB gave Bully a "T" for "Teen." But detractors of the game have problems with that...
• Has anybody gotten hands on Bully? Yes, there are still rational people who actually wait to see a game before going on national TV to talk about it...
• Do legislators think Bully is a Columbine game? Well, the Utah House of Representatives held a committee to study a piece of video game legislation...
• THE POINT OF THIS ARTICLE: Do legislators do their homework before trying to make gaming legislation? While you, the gaming audience, think that it's highly impossible to confuse Bully and SCMRPG, please remember that legislators are people too...

This is just a sneak peak. Click on the "Full Article" link below to read the full version of this article.

Well that's just nice of them. Take-Two Interactive has sent out this holiday-themed press release for people to take a look at. If you were a parent, what they've posted is actually very useful.

Perhaps it's in light of the increasing denouncement of videogames and gaming culture in general that Take-Two is reminding parents to check the ratings for games, if they plan on getting one for little Jack or Hillary this Christmas. They've not only made the warning clear - that video games have ratings because some of them aren't meant for the young ones - but they've also taken the time to list the ratings system down.

As Paul Eibeler, Take-Two's president mentions, "The holidays are a reminder for all of us to be aware of the ESRB rating when purchasing video games as gifts." While we doubt every parent will be listening to this call for sensibility in their purchases (we wish they'd give this out in actual stores), it's a good gesture, even if you're pretty sure it's darned good advertising.