Take-Two Founder Bails Out As "Bully" Ships

October 18, 2006
Is Take-Two Interactive founder Ryan Brant's resignation somehow related to the launch of Bully? That's unknown, but the timing is curious.

As reported by CNN/Money, the controversial video game publisher announced yesterday that Brant, a founder of the company as well as its former chairman and CEO, stepped aside. Brant had been on disability leave since June and was listed as VP of production.

SEC investigators are looking into stock option grant procedures at Take-Two as well as at dozens of other corporations, both in and out of the game sector.

In a 2005 settlement with the SEC on another matter, Brant paid a half-million dollar fine and was forced to return over three million dollars of income. He was also barred from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company for five years.

New York Post reporter Roddy Boyd, who often covers the controversial Take-Two, writes in today's edition:
"Brant leaves a very mixed legacy. On the one hand, he built Take-Two into a $1.2 billion-revenue company and revolutionized video game design. On the other, Brant oversaw one of the most blatant financial frauds in recent memory, and despite being forced from his chief executive slot in 2004 left a legacy of profound corporate governance woes."

"...Brant, 35, suffered from a bad back, according to a person familiar with the company. There was no statement as to his successor at the Rockstar Games subsidiary, the unit he ran after abdicating the CEO slot." 
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Comments

Submitted by pix (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 07:23.
whats the betting Thimpson takes credit for this

Submitted by Mnementh2230 (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 07:45.
^^^^ what pix said

seriously, need more info on this one!

Submitted by Blitz Fitness (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 08:55.
How do Take Two's quarters break down? It could be that we are nearing the start of one quarter and the beginning of another for their fiscal year, which of course is what many investors us as an annual judge of their liklihood to begin or continue investing. If that's the case, he may have been forced out (although likely with a huge severance if that's the case) in order to improve the image of the company as positive and forward moving in their next report lineup.

Submitted by nightwng2000 (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 10:14.
Well, if John Bruce really WANTS to take credit for the bad back condition which put Brant on disability leave (or was it some other medical condition), he's welcome to. But really, to do so would lead to a barnstorm of bad press which would imply, whether it happened or not, a phsyical assault by John Bruce against Brant. Or, at best, once again show John Bruce's callous nature about human conditions. He's already rather in the negative by implying that verbal, mental, physical and possible sexual abuse against Cody Posey was of little importance by placing violent video games as being more harmful to Posey. One would really have to wonder about such an individual.

So, sure, let John Bruce take credit for, or at the least revel in, Brant's physical disability. It wouldn't be a surprise based on John Bruce's past actions.

As to Brant leaving because of Bully... there will always be speculation one way or the other. The only person who truly knows why... is Brant himself.

nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Submitted by illspirit on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 11:07.
Erm, this guy didn't run Rockstar. But judging by games he's credited to, it would appear he was a publishing director or some such at 2K.

The NY Post also says he "revolutionized video game design." Umm, what? Publishing director types don't design games...

Submitted by Jabrwock (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 11:48.
Sounds like he has been on his way out for a while now, ever since that whole financial scandal in 2004.

@Blitz Fitness
How do Take Two’s quarters break down?

Their fiscal year (end of Q4) is around Oct 31st. So it's possible the two could be linked. What better way to cheer up investors than to have the guy who was in charge when the finances were in shambles "step down" rather than simply take time off to recover.

@illspirit
The NY Post also says he “revolutionized video game design.” Umm, what?

*shrug* Maybe they were talking about Rockstar, and crediting it to him since he co-founded them...

Submitted by Jabrwock (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 11:52.
Citigroup seems to agree:
http://tinyurl.com/yzlmbn

Citigroup said the departure of founder, former chairman and chief executive officer Ryan Brant removed a big psychological overhang for the stock... Shares of the video game publisher rose 1.86 percent to $15.37 in late morning trade on Nasdaq.

Submitted by BlitzFitness on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:10.
@Jabrwock

I knew my Bus. Admin. degree would do something for me someday, lol.

Submitted by PyroHazard (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:26.
“…Brant, 35, suffered from a bad back, according to a person familiar with the company. There was no statement as to his successor at the Rockstar Games subsidiary, the unit he ran after abdicating the CEO slot.”


Yeah, you would have a bad back too if you let all those politicians step all over you.

Look, I think Take-Two are fantastic publishers but they seriously need to get their shit together because it's going to compromise a lot of great games out there if they don't.

Submitted by Zerodash (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:39.
@nightwing.

Well, JT did get all smug over that MGS fan killing himself...

Submitted by Beacon (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:47.
@ Zerodash
Ugh, please don't remind me. I think I was angrier when I read that post than I have ever been in my entire life. And I am not exagerrating.

Submitted by Attack Gypsy (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:57.
This sounds like a contract buyout of someone who has been on disability for quite some time.

This happens ALL THE TIME in the corporate world.

Happened to my old boss. Fell off his porch and messed his back up bad. After about 6 months, they negotiated a contract buyout. Basically, they paid him a certain amount of money, in exchange for him waiving certain clauses in his contract, and then resigning.

Common corporate procedure.

Submitted by Grahamr (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 13:38.
Darnit,this IS HIS FAULT! JT Manufactured the whole controversy about Bully,The two protests,the louisana law,and so forth!

He din't really do any direct damage,but he madea ruckus,which led to controversy,which led to the chilling effect.

Danm him.

Submitted by spaced (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 13:41.
From what I heard this is more related to his health problems than to any of the controversy T2 has had. Of course, the perception will be that it is a result of T2's bad press regardless whether that is true or not.

Submitted by DoggySpew (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 16:26.
While I see his leave to be health related then anything else, Take2 is not really company you want to stay in.

Take Two has made some serious financial mistakes and did indeed do stuff that really isn't kosher.
But Rockstar has nothing to do with Take Two's doings. Just like Maxis isn't responsible for action Electronic Arts does.

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee (not verified) on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 18:17.
DoggySpew
still if T2 goes under I can see the devs under them being in hot water and I would have to see rockstar or irrational go under.

Submitted by Game Addict Hotline » Episode 57 thinks Mega Man is Me (not verified) on Sun, 10/22/2006 - 02:10.
[...] Take Two founder leaves the company [...]
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