ftc

FTC Ruling Might Affect Video Game Reviews

1:40PM Owen Good | A unanimous ruling by the Federal Trade Commission today would update truth-in-advertising language to require the disclosure of “material connections”—hint, hint “cash or an in-kind payment to review a product”—by the recipient of such considerations. More »

FTC Calls Out Game Reviewers In Proposed Endorsement Rule Change

12:00AM Brian Crecente | The Federal Trade Commission, it seems, has determined that bloggers aren’t journalists, or should at least be treated differently. More »

GameStop Sells Played Games As New, Sources Say, Practice Could Be Illegal

8:21AM Brian Crecente | The alleged practice of GameStop lending new copies of games to employees at their stores and then later selling those games as new, unused copies, may be a violation of federal law. More »

EA Goes Dark Over Take-Two Bid

8:20AM Kotaku US Edition | Like a corporate ninja, Electronic Arts has hurled a flash bomb and vanished into the shadows with Take-Two Interactive bundled under its cloak. Umm. Do Ninjas wear cloaks? Perhaps the metaphor breaks down a bit at that point. No matter – the point is that EA has entered into a confidentiality agreement with Take-Two and both parties are now obliged to keep their lips tightly zipped with regard to the companies ongoing discussions. Following the FTC’s announcement last week that they would not oppose any merger, EA decided not to renew the formal bid and has been having some cosy chats with its new friends at Take-Two. Cosy chats that from now on we will not be party to. Bah. EA: We Might Be Talking To Take-Two, We Might Not. But We’re Not Talking About It Publicly Anymore [Sillicon Alley Insider] More »

FTC Will Not Oppose EA/Take Two Merger

8:20AM Kotaku US Edition | The Federal Trade Commission has posted closing letters to its site that show it has closed its Antitrust investigation into the Electronic Arts/Take Two merger. Upon further review of this matter, it now appears that no additional action by the Commission is warranted at this time. Accordingly, the investigation has been closed. So.. essentially EA are free to pursue their merger. Or would be, had they not let their bid expire on Monday. With the FTC investigation put to bed, though, EA are now able to enter into private negotiations with Take Two. Take Two is now to give EA its three-year financial forecasts and the game will continue… An EA merger with Take-Two gets U.S. antitrust OK [Reuters via GamePolitics] More »

EA Clears FTC Hurdle In Take-Two Bid

12:00AM Leigh Alexander | Electronic Arts has satisfied the Federal Trade Commission’s extensive second request for information in the publisher’s bid to acquire Take-Two, the company revealed through an SEC filing today – and, pursuant to EA’s agreement with the FTC, it won’t “consummate” any acquisition before August 21. That is, unless the FTC finishes its investigation sooner. It’s now got the information it needs from EA in its quest to determine possible antitrust issues, but Take-Two has appeared to struggle with fulfiling the broad-ranging request; when it was initially uncompliant, the District Court of Washington, D.C. had demanded it show cause, with Take-Two risking an injunction if it failed to pony up. However, Tiffany Steckler of EA’s corporate communications said that the August 21 timeline applies regardless of what Take-Two does: More »