By Kieron Gillen on January 8th, 2008 at 3:16 pm.
News reaches us that Take Two have been reaching into their bag of many dollars to add another studio to their collection, buying the Czech Republic’s largest developer, Illusion Softworks, creators of Hidden and Dangerous and Mafia. After the undisclosed sum was paid, all 200 of Illusion Softworks employees will be working in the cleverly named “2K Czech”. Now, we wanted to write a serious piece of analysis, comparing the purchase of Irrational while developing future 2K heavyweight Bioshock (and profiting from the closer relationship i.e. Money) to the purchase of Illusion Softworks while developing hypothetical future 2K heavyweight Mafia 2, but we started worrying about what pun to call the article.
I mean, immediately I wanted “Woo-Ha! Got you all in Czech!”, but Jim countered with the elegant “Take Two Moves For Czech Mates”. I’m considering the traditional crime-based “An Offer They Couldn’t Refuse?” before Waker goes into pun-overdrive with a “Take 2 software developers into the shower? Why, when you can buy them all and take only one?” which is too long to fit on the title line, but is quite a devastating array of terrible punnery. Finally, Alec unleashes the tri-pronged offensive of “Mafia: City of Lost Revenue”, “Use Your Illusion II (Make More Money)” and “Illusion Incur Irrational’s Indignity”, and I’m left all confused and no idea what to write. Poor me.
What do you think? Also, about the sale?
…I really can’t think of anything to match the Godly standard already set.
But, about the sale: Illusion haven’t released a game since 2005. 3 years ago. Are Mafia 2 and Enemy in Sight (which I have only heard of now) *really* gonna be that top property?
report
If 2K are willing to throw money down on them, I suspect they may be. Or, at least, have a chance of being.
KG
report
The Czech’s In The Post?
report
I didn’t know 2K had so much money to spend? It’s not that long since they had to close Indie Built (Access Software) PopTop, Frog City and Rockstar Vienna (neo)?
They seem a bit like EA, IMO. Buying successful studios and then closing them after a few games.
report
2K Are Boston Out Chezh’s Irrationally.
YES.
report
C’mon… “Take Two Moves For Czech Mates” is clearly the winner.
report
Czech It Out.
report
I was thinking “Take 2 get’s out the Czech book!”
report
“2K abuses the “ten developers or less” Czech- Out”
My pun skills are weak. :(
report
I agree with Daniel, but I want to play, too. : )
“Take 2 Writes 2K Czech for Illusion Softworks”
report
2K: The Czech of it?
At some point, the guys are just going to set up a new website just for creating puns. And like sheep we will all flock there, and try desperately. But fail fantastically.
report
Czech, please.
report
2k Czech, Just an Illusion?
report
Seconding Czech, please.
report
“Czech one (take) two, Czech one two(k).”
report
We have a winner!!!
“Czech one (take) two, Czech one two(k).”
YES
report
chess puns > Busta Rhymes in *any* possible context.
report
PS: Mafia 2 FTW. Having Illusion Softworks and some of the same folks from GTA at Rockstar under one large roof can only be a good thing IMHO. Mafia’s ‘borrowed’ gameverse concept gains legitimacy along with the combined experience of the original as everyone makes a second stab at what was a superb game.
PPS: I’d like to see RPS interview Sam and Dan, touching on Mafia 2.
report
Rockstar are functionally independent iirc
As for the buy-out – I basically have the same opinion about this as I do for all mergers and acquisitions – as long as 2K are willing to let Illusion to do what they want, with the support it needs, I have no problem with it
report
heres my offering…
We are under no Illusion that Take Two have taken yet again, then Czeched out of the building
What a brilliant post by the way Kieron :)
report
“Czech Out Take Two’s new Illusion”
Bah the less independents the worse the industry will be..
report
Jim’s chess pun wins,hands down. It rolls off the tongue easiest, and that’s what a tagline needs
report