11. Take-Two Interactive

FY08 Revenue: $1,329M, +41% (Rank: 12)
FY08 Profit/Loss: -$5.38M (Rank: 12)
Titles in Global Top 100: 7 (Rank: 4)
Units in Global Top 100: 6.1M (Rank: 8)
Review Average: 69% (Rank: 7)
 

Explanation of Ranking: After a drop in revenues from 2006 to 2007, Take-Two recorded a 41% increase in revenue, up to $1.329 billion, for the 12 months ending 30 April 2008. Despite the increased revenue, the company still recorded a small loss over the past four quarters. In the global top 100 software list Take-Two claimed 7 titles for a total of 6.1M software units. (Note: Take-Two's fiscal year ends on 31 October. The data presented here has been recalculated for a fiscal year ending 30 April, to facilitate comparisons to other companies.)

Take-Two Interactive has had its troubles, from accounting shenanigans to executive changeups to the forced recall of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the best-selling game in recent American history. Despite these troubles, Grand Theft Auto IV sold immensely well on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, almost well enough to return to the company to profitability for the past 12 months. With continued strong sales of its flagship property, Take-Two should have a stronger balance sheet for the remainder of the year.

While Grand Theft Auto often gets most of the attention, Take-Two has a broad array of franchises in its portfolio. Perhaps strongest among these are the 2K Sports titles using the MLB, NBA and NHL licenses. Among its many divisions is 2K Play, which focuses on children's and casual games and published Carnival Games, one of the stronger-performing third party Wii games in the past year.

Take-Two also published the hit game BioShock, developed by the studio formerly known as Irrational Games (now 2K Boston), and will be rereleasing it for the PlayStation 3 later in 2008.

Since last 2007, Take-Two Interactive has been the subject of an unsolicited takeover bid by Electronic Arts. While it has rejected offers and Electronic Arts has continued to extend the deadlines for acceptance of its offers, analysts expect that Take-Two will eventually come to an agreement to be acquired by EA. The combined company could have revenues greater than that of Activision Blizzard.