EXPLANATORY NOTE
On May 23, 2022, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated January 9, 2022, by and among Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (the “Company” or “Registrant”), Zebra MS I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Zebra MS II, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Zynga Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Zynga”), the Company acquired Zynga through a series of mergers (the “Combination”).
This Registration Statement on Form S-8 registers an additional 15,368,500 shares of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), issuable under the Amended and Restated Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. 2017 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, an exception under Rule 5635(c)(3) of the NASDAQ Market Rules and Regulations (“Rule 5635(c)(3)”), which additional shares of Common Stock represent the sum of the (i) remaining number of shares of common stock of Zynga that were available for issuance under the Zynga Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (the “2011 Plan”), immediately prior to the Combination, as appropriately adjusted to reflect the Combination by multiplying such relevant number of shares available for issuance under the 2011 Plan by the Equity Award Exchange Ratio (as defined in the Merger Agreement), and (ii) number of stock options and restricted stock units granted under the 2011 Plan and the Zynga Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, that were assumed by the Company as “Substitute Awards” under the Plan in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, as appropriately adjusted to reflect the Combination by multiplying the relevant number of shares underlying such assumed stock options and restricted stock units by the Equity Award Exchange Ratio, and with the exercise price of each assumed option determined by dividing the exercise price per share of the Zynga option by the Equity Award Exchange Ratio.
Pursuant to an exception under Rule 5635(c)(3), shares that are available for grant under a pre-existing shareholder approved plan of an issuer that is acquired in an acquisition or merger, may be used (after appropriate adjustment of the number of shares to reflect the transaction) by the listed acquiring company for certain post-transaction grants, either under the pre-existing plan or another plan, provided that (i) the plan met the requirements of Rule 5635(c) prior to such transaction, (ii) the time during which those shares are available for grants is not extended beyond the period when they would have been available under the pre-existing plan, absent the transaction, and (iii) such awards are not granted to individuals who were employed by the granting company or its subsidiaries at the time the merger or acquisition was consummated.
Pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-220895) filed by the Registrant on October 11, 2017 (the “First Registration Statement”), the Registrant previously registered an aggregate of 5,200,000 shares of Common Stock under the Plan (as adjusted to reflect all stock splits and stock dividends to date). Pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-248629) filed by the Registrant on September 4, 2020 (the “Second Registration Statement”), the Registrant previously registered an aggregate of 50,743 additional shares of Common Stock under the Plan (as adjusted to reflect all stock splits and stock dividends to date). Pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-249904) filed by Registrant on November 6, 2020 (the “Third Registration Statement”), the Registrant previously registered an aggregate of 2,000,000 additional shares of Common Stock under the Plan (as adjusted to reflect all stock splits and stock dividends to date). Pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-260773) filed by Registrant on November 4, 2021 (the “Fourth Registration Statement,” and together with the First Registration Statement, the Second Registration Statement, and the Third Registration Statement, collectively, the “Prior Registration Statements”), the Registrant previously registered an aggregate of 4,300,000 additional shares of Common Stock under the Plan (as adjusted to reflect all stock splits and stock dividends to date). The additional shares of Common Stock being registered by this Registration Statement are of the same class as those securities registered on the Prior Registration Statement. The contents of the Prior Registration Statement, together with all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference to the extent not otherwise amended or superseded by the contents hereof or otherwise, are incorporated herein by reference in accordance with General Instruction E to Form S-8.