As Electronic Arts' bid to acquire Take Two Interactive continues to rumble on, speculation over alternative partners for T2 chief Strauss Zelnick have arisen, including Ubisoft - but now Microsoft's name has been bandied about.

Reports across the web have emerged today citing an analyst's opinion that the Redmond Corporation was a likely bidder. The problem? The 'analyst' is actually an eighteen-year old undergraduate.

Whilst there's obviously no issue with the individual making his opinion known, the fact is that for whatever reason, his suggestions have been picked up as more substantial that they actually are. It's unfortunate that the tinderbox has been lit on a Microsoft takeover of Take Two, because both the individual's own blog and the online publication he writes for states his position as a student - he's not exactly working for Wedlock Morgan.

So for now, it's back to the EA/T2 shenanigans; roll on August 18th...