(02-06-2006) Bono Eyes Take-Two - New York Post*

[HelloAngel]

BONO EYES TAKE-TWO

By TIM ARRANGO


February 5, 2006 -- IS U2's righteous lead singer playing with violent video games?

Bono's private-equity firm Elevation Partners is rumored to be eyeing a bid for troubled video-game company Take-Two Interactive — developer of the popular "Grand Theft Auto" series. A potential deal could be worth more than $1 billion, including debt.

Elevation is said to have teamed up with Pequot Capital, a hedge fund and venture capital investor that owns a large chunk of Take-Two's shares, sources told The Post's Zachery Kouwe.

On Tuesday, The Post broke the news that Take-Two was in serious discussions with several buyout firms. Elevation could combine Take-Two's successful titles with video game developers Pandemic Studios and BioWare Corp., which the firm acquired last year for $300 million.

There are still hurdles to a deal, however, including Take-Two's habit of restating earnings, which has led regulators to begin looking for wrongdoing at the company.

It's not that Bono and Elevation are afraid to invest in troubled companies. The firm laid out $100 million for part of Homestore.com after several former executives were indicted in a multimillion dollar fraud at the company.

But is Bono, famous for uniting folks around the world, ready for the heat Take-Two generates? The video-game maker has been blasted in the past for creating strains in the social fabric.

http://www.nypost.com/business/61399.htm

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

"IS U2's righteous lead singer playing with violent video games?"

Bono, playing with violent video games?! This could only mean that Evil Bono has won. that is a hilarious question, as if he even has time to play with video games!

Seriously, I don't keep up much with the business end of U2. My brother is a gamer though, I'll let him know about this.

 

[Pop Artist]

"IS U2's righteous lead singer playing with violent video games?"

Bono, playing with violent video games?! This could only mean that Evil Bono has won. that is a hilarious question, as if he even has time to play with video games!

Actually, apparently Bono does squeeze in the time...

http://online.wsj.com/public/articl...BQyssJeE_1aETI9gUYsbo_20060212.html?mod=blogs

 

[JCOSTER]

Call me corny but I hope he does not purchase this company which promotes such violent games.

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

Actually, apparently Bono does squeeze in the time...

http://online.wsj.com/public/articl...BQyssJeE_1aETI9gUYsbo_20060212.html?mod=blogs

well, what do you know. He does it all!

During a U2 concert at Madison Square Garden in 2001, Larry Mullen Jr., the group's drummer, accidentally sat on his 10-year-old Casio organizer, which contained all his contacts, Mr. Stephens says. As Mr. Mullen's assistant scurried to give him his backup organizer, it fell and shattered. One of the band's guitar technicians called Mr. Stephens for help.

I just lost all the data off my personal organizer last month after dropping it... where's my technician?

 

[U2FanPeter]

I thought Bono would only play religious-themed video games like Rod and Tod Flanders(The Simpsons).

 

[cg]

i rememeber reading an article once where bono said something like: what if we could make video games where morality and ethics counted in the score.

for sure, he will take some heat if this sale goes through, but it will be interesting to see how he plans on spinning it.

 

[Rachel D.]

He said also that he would like to create emotional video games. Maybe if gamers start bawling all over their controllers, it will counteract the violence that has invaded their minds and the world will be saved.

 

[thankyou]

i rememeber reading an article once where bono said something like: what if we could make video games where morality and ethics counted in the score.

for sure, he will take some heat if this sale goes through, but it will be interesting to see how he plans on spinning it.

without a doubt there is potential for a big market to create games that involve other things besides violence. I certainly hope Bono is on to something because if the company does come out with games that involve choices, morality, ethics, or whatever, they will sell like hotcakes with all the parents who are dying to find something better for their kids to play, especially the younger ones. besides, the violence in the games is so repetitive, boring and unoriginal. it's coming up with something fresh, in a cool way, that is going to be new thing of the future. but it's going to have to be cool, that's for sure.

 

[Seconds]

If Bono was investing in DreamWorks or Paramount, would people complaint because they make violent movies? Of course not. But because TakeTwo makes some violent games, then its ok to Judge Bono's business decisions? There are 2 main problems here.

One - is that these games have an Adult rating but parents don't give a crap what their kids are playing.

Two - there is misconception that only kids play Video Games. When in reality the average age for a game player is around 30 years old. So there are different games for different age groups.

Anyways, I personally don't think Bono should invest in this company because I can just read the headlines "Bono encourages death and violence in children."

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If Bono was investing in DreamWorks or Paramount, would people complaint because they make violent movies? Of course not. But because TakeTwo makes some violent games, then its ok to Judge Bono's business decisions? There are 2 main problems here.

One - is that these games have an Adult rating but parents don't give a crap what their kids are playing.

Two - there is misconception that only kids play Video Games. When in reality the average age for a game player is around 30 years old. So there are different games for different age groups.

Anyways, I personally don't think Bono should invest in this company because I can just read the headlines "Bono encourages death and violence in children."

what that guy said