Earlier today, rumors began cropping up about Sony buying up Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive. The Sony Take-Two whispers were, of course, false rumors stemming from loose sources that spun a narrative out of control. Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption aren?t about to become PlayStation exclusives. That incoming Borderlands 3 reveal isn?t going to end with ?Only on PlayStation VR,? and Sony isn?t about to revive BioShock with Naughty Dog at the helm.
It all began with ?TTWO M&A CHATTER MAKING ROUNDS?+2.5% ? NO SOURCE **UNCONFIRMED**?. That was the note that head of technology and media trading at Wedbush Securities, Joel Kulina, wrote in response to Take-Two?s sudden jump in market share this morning. A MarketWatch report by Sue Chang and Chris Matthews quickly ran with the information, including line in their report saying ?Take-Two Interactive Software stock climbed 4.7% on rumors that Sony Corp. ?is in advanced board level discussions to acquire Take-Two Interactive in a mostly cash deal,? that would value the company at $130 share, according to Joel Kulina, head of technology and media trading at Wedbush Securities.?
Responding to an inquiry from GamesIndustry.biz, Kulina denied making any such statement, outside of the above mentioned note. He certainly didn?t directly say that Sony is in discussions to buy Take-Two. Those were leaps made by the MarketWatch article from Kulina?s shorthand note. The MarketWatch authors further confirmed this by...