Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Wētā Workshop, known for their work on the world of Middle-earth for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, today revealed Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, a cosy Hobbit life sim set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. Developed by Wētā Workshop Game Studio, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wētā Workshop, Tales of the Shire will launch in the second half of 2024 on the Nintendo Switch system, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

In Tales of the Shire, experience the storybook return to Middle-earth's most inviting region by living life as a Hobbit in the idyllic town of Bywater. Unwind in the breathtaking pastures, visit the townsfolks' local shops, or even enjoy second breakfast. Help bring the community together and achieve official village status by throwing the greatest Bywater Festival the Shire has ever seen!

Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Moon Studios are proud to announce that No Rest for the Wicked is now available on PC (via Steam) Early Access for an introductory price of $35.99 on Steam and the Private Division Store. Once purchased on Steam, No Rest for the Wicked is also playable by streaming the game via the NVIDIA GeForce NOW cloud gaming service (separate membership and sign-up required)—giving gamers instant access to GeForce PC performance on compatible PCs, Macs, SHIELD TVs, Android and iOS devices or Chromebooks without any downloads.

No Rest for the Wicked is a mature, precision Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG). The game features brutal combat, a richly detailed world, item crafting, and a customization system that enables your character to create unique equipment and housing with the help of your collection of artisans. No Rest for the Wicked features a deep plot supported by a rich cast of characters, all wrapped up in Moon's signature visual style that is as beautiful as an oil painting. The game is Moon's bold foray into the genre after successfully launching two critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning games - Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

Embracer Group has entered (as of March 28) into an agreement to divest Gearbox Entertainment, for a consideration of USD 460 million (SEK 4.9 billion) to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. ("Take-Two"). The proceeds from the deal will, upon closing, significantly reduce net debt, earnout obligations and capex. Embracer retains selected companies, including Gearbox Publishing San Francisco (to be renamed), with the publishing rights to the Remnant franchise, the upcoming Hyper Light Breaker and other notable unannounced game releases.

"Yesterday's announcement marks the result of the final structured divestment process and is an important step in transforming Embracer into the future with notably lower net debt and improved free cash flow. Through the transaction, we lower business risk and improve profitability as we transition to becoming a leaner and more focused company. After evaluating several options for Gearbox, I am happy that we have reached a solution that is in the best interest of all stakeholders. Randy and the team have been great team members throughout the past years, and I would like to thank them all for that. As one of the world's greatest games developers, I am confident that Gearbox will continue to innovate and thrive in their new home within Take-Two," says Lars Wingefors, co-founder and CEO of Embracer.

2K today announced that industry veteran and Firaxis Games Chief Operating Officer, Heather Hazen, has been promoted to Studio Head, ushering in a new era of development at the legendary interactive entertainment studio behind Sid Meier's Civilization, XCOM, and the recently-released and critically-acclaimed Marvel's Midnight Suns.

As Studio Head, Hazen will manage Firaxis Games' development teams and lead its mission to build the best strategy games on the planet. With 22 years of experience in gaming and entertainment, Hazen joined Firaxis Games in 2020 as the studio's Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Firaxis Games, she was an Executive Producer on Fortnite at Epic Games, as well as Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled while at PopCap Games. Hazen's promotion comes as longtime Firaxis Studio Head, Steve Martin, will be leaving the studio after more than 25 years with the organization.

Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is proud to announce that Max Payne 3 is currently in development and scheduled for a winter 2009 release on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and PC. Developed by Rockstar Vancouver, Max Payne 3 tells the story of a retired police detective embroiled in a world of corruption, turmoil and intense violence.

The award-winning Max Payne franchise put players in the role of Max Payne, a hard-boiled New York City detective with a penchant for violence, out to avenge the death of his family. The latest installment delivers more of the classic elements and hyper-intense action that fans have come to love, while moving the story of Max in a new direction.

Following failed talks with Take-Two's management, games developer Electronic Arts has instead decided to directly approach shareholders with its takeover bid. EA has kept its offer at $26 per share, which would give the deal a total value of around $2 billion. EA's CEO, John Riccitiello, said:

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.

Take-Two has issued a notice to all of its shareholders urging them not to accept the offer, but EA has set a deadline of 11th April - two weeks before the release of the eagerly awaited Grand Theft Auto IV.

Take-Two Interactive today clarified a number of release dates for its upcoming titles, and officially confirmed that a sequel to 2K Boston and 2K Australia's underwater shooter BioShock will arrive during the company's fiscal fourth quarter in 2009. The publisher revealed that Gearbox Software's Borderlands (PC, PS3, X360) and 2K Czech's Mafia II (PC, PS3, X360) are positioned for release sometime in Take-Two's 2009 fiscal year, which runs from November 1, 2008 through October 31, 2009. Additionally, Rockstar San Diego's Midnight Club: Los Angeles (PS3, X360) was confirmed for release in the company's FY2008 fourth quarter, pinning the title's release window between August 1 and October 31, 2008. Back to BioShock 2, the game is under development by the Novato, California-based studio 2K Marin. The new development house is rumored to consist of several former 2K Boston and 2K Australia employees. The publisher also announced that BioShock creator Ken Levine will be involved in the development of the sequel, though his role on the project was not specified.

Take-Two Interactive Software today announced the acquisition of Illusion Softworks, a premier Central European-based game development studio with operations in Brno and Prague, the Czech Republic. Illusion Softworks has approximately 200 employees and will join Take-Two's 2K Games publishing label as its newest studio, 2K Czech. Established in 1997, Illusion Softworks is the creator and owner of several hit video game franchises, including Mafia, Hidden & Dangerous and Vietcong. The studio is currently working with 2K Games on Mafia II, the sequel to the original Mafia, which helped establish the gangster genre and sold more than two million units.

Rockstar Games, the publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, and Valve announce an agreement to launch Rockstar Games' entire PC catalog on Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 13 million accounts around the world. Starting today, gamers may purchase Rockstar Games' titles, including the complete Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne series plus Manhunt and Midnight Club II. To celebrate the launch, Rockstar is offering all its Steam games for a 10% discount during launch week. The Rockstar games now available on Steam include: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto II, Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club II, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Max Payne, Manhunt and Wild Metal Country. For more information about Rockstar Games on Steam, please visit this page.