How many articles about bad economy and suffering publishers have you read on QJ in the past two months? I lost count. That's because it's undeniable - the gaming industry in in the toilet, praying not to be flushed. Take-Two's Chief exec, Strauss Zelnick, describes the current situation to be so bad, that "being slightly down is the new up."

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is subject to social criticism yet again. In a prison prep course in Mississippi, comedian and activist Bill Cosby likened the game to an entrance exam for getting into prison.

Details after the link.

Strauss Zelnick of Take-Two Interactive recently spoke at the BMO Interactive Entertainment conference and shared his opinion on the game industry's standing amidst the ongoing economic turmoil. His observation: they're not immune from recession. His prediction: it's not looking good. Find out more about these earth-shaking revelations after the jump.

Looks like it'll be a Grand Theft Auto-less holiday season. According to Take-Two Interactive, both the Xbox 360-exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV DLC and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the DS have been delayed.

Details after the link.

The stint between Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive is the stuff of anticlimactic legends in video gaming. Now that the short-lived love affair's over, EA explains that their attempt to acquire T2 was only an attempt to help them out with holiday sales of Grand Theft Auto IV.

After their takeover bid of Take-Two Interactive fell through, Electronic Arts may be on the hunt once again for another studio to buy out. Rumor has it that this time, EA's eyes are set on Epic Games.

After a long drawn out battle to stave off Electronic Arts' takeover bid, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick laid down the final word on Take-Two's status as a company, announcing that they have decided to remain independent after all.

So after the whole EA-acquisition deal, both Take-Two and EA's stock shares plummeted. Such trying times indeed. So today, T2's busy with damage control. They just published a press release to reaffirm to everyone (most especially investors) that they're still a strong company and will remain an independent company. Warning: boring corporate fodder ahead.

Only rightly, the company that created Mario has been deemed as the top video game publisher by Game Developer. It's amazing how Nintendo still manages to stay on top after all these years.

Sony ranked fifth, and Microsoft blipped on 9th place. Who else made it? Full list after the link.

With Rockstar bringing the Grand Theft Auto franchise to the DS with Chinatown Wars, you'd think that they'd tone it down a bit to keep in line with Nintendo's typically family-friendly handheld platform. Nope. Not if the Houser brothers has anything to say about it.

According to Rockstar's Dan Houser, they're sticking to their guns (no pun intended?) and keeping to the GTA spirit. The game even has a drug dealing minigame. Details after the link.