Take-Two Interactive, which publishers the GTA games amongst others, has acquired Codemasters for close to $1 billion. Codemasters is the creator of some of the best racing games ever released.

Codemasters and Take-Two Make a Formidable Combination

Many of you will be familiar with Codemasters. The game developer and publisher was founded in the UK by the Darling Brothers, Richard and David.

Since its inception in 1986, Codemasters has been responsible for some of the best games ever released.

From the Oliver Twins' Dizzy games on early Spectrum computers, through to Micro Machines and Pete Sampras Tennis on the Sega Genesis, and the popular F1 series and Dirt series on modern consoles, Codemasters has seen it all.

Related: Physical Games vs. Digital Games: Which Should You Buy?

Likewise, Take-Two is no stranger to the gaming world, having released some of the most popular titles of recent generations and planning titles for the new next-gen consoles.

The company has the likes of NBA 2K, Grand Theft Auto, and Bioshock under its belt already, and this acquisition will only serve to strengthen Take-Two's market presence.

Take-Two Will Acquire Codemasters in 2021

grand-theft-auto-v-screenshot

According to a press release from Take-Two, the company will acquire Codemasters during the first quarter of 2021. So, the deal should be complete by the end of March next year, which is almost as quick as deals can fall apart in GTA...

The move has been welcomed by both parties. Codemasters' Chairman, Gerhard Florin, stated that the company sees real benefits from the forthcoming association with Take-Two.

He went onto say that, as a leading sports game brand with vast market knowledge, Take-Two is entirely capable of taking Codemasters to the next level. All of Codemasters' staff intend to remain at the company post-acquisition.

Take-Two's Chairman and CEO, Strauss Zelnick, is equally buoyant about the whole affair. "We are exceedingly pleased to announce this recommended transaction with the Board of Codemasters," he said.

He goes on to acknowledge the historical and present-day significance of the Codemasters brand, focusing on its car-racing catalog of titles.

Zelnick points out the benefits for Take-Two, stating that "we [Take-Two] believe that [Codemasters'] offerings will be highly complementary to our sports portfolio and enhance further our organization's long-term growth."

The acquisition is set to cost Take-Two almost $1 billion. The exact figure at the time of writing is $956 million, which is slightly lower than the previously projected figure of $994 million.

A Bright Future for Take-Two and Codemasters

red dead redemption 2 gold bars

With Codemasters' driving sim expertise and Take-Two's franchise marketing abilities, this can only lead to positive and profitable futures for both brands.

No matter what, fans of either brand should not be worried. Codemasters staff will be integrated into the Take-Two fold, meaning that you can still enjoy all the driving games you know and love.

Likewise, fans of Take-Two games can rest assured that their beloved Red Dead and Bioshock games won't be affected by this acquisition.