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Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an NYC-based video game holding company founded by Ryan Brant in September 1993. The company owns three major publishing labels, Rockstar Games, Zynga and 2K, which operate internal game development studios.

Relevant incidents[edit | edit source]

Incidents not mentioned here can be found on the Take-Two Interactive category page.

2K Games - exclusivity contracts (stub)

Much like with EA, 2K has also purchased exclusivity contracts with sports leagues, thus also restricting options for consumers. (Maybe mention pga or wwe?)

2k - personal data breaches (stub)

ref a ref b

2k - faulty game launcher (stub)

Ref

2k - shuttered studios (stub)

Wikipedia page ref(note: use as springboard, find dedicated sources for history of buyouts and shuttering)

General - Microtransactions (MTX) and lootboxes (stub)

Ref | should cover all 3 major companies owned by T2, ref covers 2k. Zynga's pioneering of predatory mtx needs to be covered (see cityville and Farmville games.) Rockstar, shark cards in GTAO? No clue how we could shoehorn this one.

Borderlands Series - Terms of Service changes and alleged spyware 2025-Apr https://medium.com/@DarkRa/why-gamers-are-furious-over-take-two-and-2ks-new-terms-of-service-051e7a6a5594 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMKMhqKzHxs&pp=ygUMdGFrZSB0d28gdG9z

Risk of Rain 2 - EULA update, which is the same as the Borderlands Series.

Grand Theft Auto also has the same EULA update from Take Two Interactive as the Borderlands Series and Risk of Rain.

References[edit | edit source]

Take-Two Interactive Software Privacy Policy Update[edit | edit source]

Take Two
Basic information
Founded	1993
Type	Holding Company
Industry	Video games
Official website	https://www.take2games.com/

Take-Two Interactive — Abuses Related to Data Collection and Game Ownership[edit | edit source]

Data Collection Practices[edit | edit source]

Always-on tracking: Take-Two collects gameplay data continuously, even in single-player modes. This includes hardware identifiers, crash logs, user behavior, and telemetry.
Cross-service aggregation: Data is collected across all Take-Two titles (e.g. GTA, Red Dead, NBA 2K), websites, customer support interactions, and third-party services. This enables behavioral profiling without user transparency.
Cookies and marketing surveillance: Persistent cookies and tracking pixels are used for analytics and targeted advertising. User data may be shared with external partners, with no meaningful opt-out mechanism.
Mandatory acceptance: Users must accept all data collection terms to access the games or services. Refusal may lead to denied access or reduced functionality.

No Ownership Over Games or Content[edit | edit source]

License, not purchase: All Take-Two products, including physical and digital copies, are legally considered revocable licenses, not owned goods. The company retains all property rights.
Game access can be revoked: Take-Two’s Terms of Service allow them to terminate the license at any time, for any reason. Once terminated, users lose access to the game—even if they paid full price.
No refunds or compensation: Upon license termination or account ban, Take-Two has no obligation to offer a refund or reinstate access. Games, accounts, and virtual items can disappear permanently.
Virtual goods not guaranteed: In-game currency, cosmetics, or stats (e.g. GTA Shark Cards, NBA VC) can be removed, altered, or rendered inaccessible at any time. Ownership claims are explicitly denied.

Sample Terms Extract[edit | edit source]

"You agree that your rights to access and use the Services are limited by this Agreement and that your license is revocable, non-exclusive, and non-transferable. Take-Two may suspend, terminate, or modify your access at its sole discretion…"

Summary[edit | edit source]

Take-Two uses its Terms of Service to maintain total control over user data, gameplay behavior, and access rights. Despite charging full retail prices, the company:

Treats all products as temporary, licensed experiences.
Reserves the right to revoke access without refund.
Enforces extensive data collection with no opt-out.
Allows removal of games from users’ libraries, even post-purchase.

These practices undermine consumer rights by removing ownership, eroding user privacy, and ensuring legal asymmetry in disputes.

Last Update: February 2025

Categories of Information Collected[edit | edit source]

The type of information we collect depends on how you use the Services. Generally, we collect the following information:

Identifiers / Contact Information: Name, user name, gamertag, postal and email address, phone number, unique IDs, mobile device ID, platform ID, gaming service ID, advertising ID (IDFA, Android ID) and IP address
Protected Characteristics: Age and gender
Commercial Information: Purchase and usage history and preferences, including gameplay information
Billing Information: Payment information (credit / debit card information) and shipping address
Internet / Electronic Activity: Web / app browsing and gameplay information related to the Services; information about your online interaction(s) with the Services or our advertising; and details about the games and platforms you use and other information related to installed applications
Device and Usage Data: Device type, software and hardware details, language settings, browser type and version, operating system, and information about how users use and interact with the Services (e.g., content viewed, pages visited, clicks, scrolls)
Profile Inferences: Inferences made from your information and web activity to help create a personalized profile so we can identify goods and services that may be of interest
Audio / Visual Information: Account photos, images, and avatars, audio information via chat features and functionality, and gameplay recordings and video footage (such as when you participate in playtesting)
Sensitive Information: Precise location information (if you allow the Services to collect your location), account credentials (user name and password), and contents of communications via chat features and functionality.

What makes them different from a virus? Here's a comparison between the data collected by a RAT (Remote Access Trojan), a Trojan, and what is described in the privacy policy:

Data Type

Keylogger

Spyware

RAT

Info-Stealer

Trojan

Adware (Tracking)

Network Sniffer

Rootkit

Browser Hijacker

Privacy Policy

Identifiers / Contact Info

❌

✅

✅ (via packet capture)

✅ (indirectly)

✅

Protected Characteristics

❌

⚠️ (inferred)

❌

✅ (from browsing)

❌

✅ (e.g., age from browsing)

✅

Commercial Info (Purchases)

✅ (if typed)

✅

Billing Info

✅

❌

✅

❌

✅

Internet / Electronic Activity

❌

✅

Device & Usage Data

❌

✅

⚠️ (indirect)

✅

Profile Inferences

❌

⚠️ (inference)

✅

❌

✅ (less common)

✅

❌

✅

Audio / Visual Info

❌

✅ (screenshots)

✅ (cam/mic access)

❌

Possibly

❌

✅ (via control)

❌

✅

Sensitive Info (Location, Credentials)

✅ (typed)

✅

Possibly

✅

✅ (with consent)

Sources:

https://www.take2games.com/legal/en-US/#10-availability

https://www.take2games.com/privacy/en-US/