SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                       Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
                       -----------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                          Common Stock, $0.01 par value
                          -----------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    874054109
                                    ---------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                 October 5, 2005
                                 ---------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the following box to designate the rule pursuant to which the Schedule is
filed:

  [   ]   Rule 13d-1(b)
  [ X ]   Rule 13d-1(c)
  [   ]   Rule 13d-1(d)


*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).



CUSIP NO. 874054109

   1.    NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
         I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) 
         D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.
         13-3695715

   2.    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) 
         (A) [ ]
         (B) [ ]

   3.    SEC USE ONLY

   4.    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
         Delaware

NUMBER OF                 5.   SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY                   -0-                     
OWNED BY                                               
EACH                      6.   SHARED VOTING POWER     
REPORTING                      3,895,039               
PERSON WITH                                            
                          7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
                               -0-                     
                                                       
                          8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                               3,895,139               
                          
   9.    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
         3,895,139

   10.   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 
         (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)  [ ]

   11.   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
         5.5%

   12.   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
         IA, PN




CUSIP NO. 874054109

      1.   NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
           David E. Shaw

      2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
           (A) [ ]
           (B) [ ]

      3.   SEC USE ONLY

      4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
           United States

NUMBER OF                 5.   SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY                   -0-                      
OWNED BY                                                
EACH                      6.   SHARED VOTING POWER      
REPORTING                      3,895,039                
PERSON WITH                                             
                          7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   
                               -0-                      
                                                        
                          8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                               3,895,139                

      9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
           3,895,139

      10.  CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 
           (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)   [ ]

      11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
           5.5%

      12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
           IN



ITEM 1.
     (A) NAME OF ISSUER: Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

     (B) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:
           622 Broadway
           New York, NY  10012

ITEM 2.
     (A) NAME OF PERSON FILING: 
           D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. 
           David E. Shaw

     (B) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE: 
           The business address for each reporting person is: 
           120 W. 45th Street, Tower 45, 39th Floor 
           New York, NY 10036

     (C) CITIZENSHIP:
           D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. is a limited partnership organized under the 
           laws of the state of Delaware. 
           David E. Shaw is a citizen of the United States of America.

     (D) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:
           Common Stock, $0.01 par value

     (E) CUSIP NUMBER:
           874054109


ITEM 3.  IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B) OR 13D-2(B) OR 
         (C), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

Not applicable

ITEM 4.  OWNERSHIP

As of October 14, 2005:

(a) Amount beneficially owned:

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                3,895,139 shares
                                       This is composed of (i) 43,300 shares 
                                       in the name of D. E. Shaw Investment
                                       Group, L.L.C., (ii) 14,700 shares that 
                                       D. E. Shaw Investments, L.P. has the
                                       right to acquire through the exercise of
                                       listed call options, (iii) 574,737 shares
                                       in the name of D. E. Shaw Valence
                                       Portfolios, L.L.C., (iv) 130,350 shares
                                       that D. E. Shaw Valence, L.L.C. has the
                                       right to acquire through the exercise of
                                       listed call options, (v) 1,402,621 shares
                                       in the name of D. E. Shaw Oculus
                                       Portfolios, L.L.C., (vi) 1,729,331 shares
                                       in the name of D. E. Shaw Meniscus
                                       Portfolios, L.L.C., and (vii) 100 shares
                                       under the management of D. E. Shaw
                                       Investment Management, L.L.C.

David E. Shaw:                         3,895,139 shares
                                       This is composed of (i) 43,300 shares in
                                       the name of D. E. Shaw Investment Group,
                                       L.L.C., (ii) 14,700 shares that D. E.
                                       Shaw Investments, L.P. has the right to
                                       acquire through the exercise of listed
                                       call options, (iii) 574,737 shares in the
                                       name of D. E. Shaw Valence Portfolios,
                                       L.L.C., (iv) 130,350 shares that D. E.
                                       Shaw Valence, L.L.C. has the right to
                                       acquire through the exercise of listed
                                       call options, (v) 1,402,621 shares in the
                                       name of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios,
                                       L.L.C., (vi) 1,729,331 shares in the name
                                       of D. E. Shaw Meniscus Portfolios,
                                       L.L.C., and (vii) 100 shares under the
                                       management of D. E. Shaw Investment
                                       Management, L.L.C.

(b) Percent of class: 
      D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                                   5.5%
      David E. Shaw:                                            5.5%
                                                          
(c) Number of shares to which the person has:             
    (i)   Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:         
            E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                                -0- shares
            David E. Shaw:                                      -0- shares
                                                       
    (ii)  Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:      
            D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                             3,895,039 shares
            David E. Shaw:                                      3,895,039 shares

    (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 
            D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                             -0- shares
            David E. Shaw:                                      -0- shares


    (iv)  Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 
            D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:                             3,895,139 shares
            David E. Shaw:                                      3,895,139 shares

David E. Shaw does not own any shares directly. By virtue of David E. Shaw's
position as President and sole shareholder of D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc., which is
the general partner of D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P., which in turn is the managing
member and investment adviser of D. E. Shaw Investment Group, L.L.C. and 
D. E. Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., the general partner of D. E. Shaw
Investments, L.P., the managing member of D. E. Shaw Valance, L.L.C. and 
D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C., and the investment adviser of 
D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C. and D. E. Shaw Meniscus Portfolios, L.L.C.,
and by virtue of David E. Shaw's position as President and sole shareholder of
D. E. Shaw & Co. II, Inc., which is the managing member of D. E. Shaw & Co.,
L.L.C., which in turn is the managing member of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios,
L.L.C. and D. E. Shaw Meniscus Portfolios, L.L.C., David E. Shaw may be deemed
to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of 3,895,039 shares, and the
shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of 3,895,139 shares, the
3,895,139 shares as described above constituting 5.5% of the outstanding shares
and, therefore, David E. Shaw may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such
shares. David E. Shaw disclaims beneficial ownership of such 3,895,139 shares.

ITEM 5.  OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS
Not Applicable

ITEM 6.  OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON
Not Applicable

ITEM 7.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE 
         SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY OR CONTROL 
         PERSON
Not Applicable

ITEM 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
Not Applicable

ITEM 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP
Not Applicable

ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION
By signing below, each of D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. and David E. Shaw certify that,
to the best of such reporting person's knowledge and belief, the securities
referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with
the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a
participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect.



SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of their knowledge and belief, the
undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct. A Power of Attorney, dated February 24, 2004, granted by
David E. Shaw in favor of Eric Wepsic, is attached hereto.

Dated: October 17, 2005

                                   D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.

                                   By: /s/ Eric Wepsic
                                       ---------------
                                       Eric Wepsic
                                       Managing Director


                                   David E. Shaw

                                   By: /s/ Eric Wepsic
                                       ---------------
                                       Eric Wepsic
                                       Attorney-in-Fact for David E. Shaw


                                    EXHIBIT 1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               FOR CERTAIN FILINGS
                    UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


I, David E. Shaw, hereby make, constitute and appoint each of:


         Anne Dinning,

         Julius Gaudio,

         Lou Salkind,

         Stuart Steckler, and

         Eric Wepsic,

acting individually, as my agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power of
substitution, for the purpose of, from time to time, executing in my name and/or
my capacity as President of D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc. (acting for itself or as the
general partner of D. E. Shaw & Co., L. P. and general partner or managing
member of other entities, any which in turn may be acting for itself or other
entities) all documents, certificates, instruments, statement, other filings,
and amendments to the forgoing (collectively, "documents") determined by such
person to be necessary or appropriate to comply with ownership or control-person
reporting requirements imposed by any United States or non-United States
governmental or regulatory authority, including without limitation Forms 3, 4,
5, 13D, 13F, and 13G required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission; and delivering, furnishing or filing any such documents with the
appropriate governmental or regulatory authority. Any such determination shall
be conclusively evidenced by such person's execution, delivery, furnishing,
and/or filing of the applicable document.

This power of attorney shall be valid from the date hereof and replaces the
power granted on February 5, 2001, which is hereby cancelled.

IN WITNESS HEREOF, I have executed this instrument as of the date set forth
below.

Date: February 24, 2004 

DAVID E. SHAW, as President of
D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc.
/s/David E. Shaw
New York, New York




                                    EXHIBIT 2

                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, each of the undersigned Reporting Persons hereby agrees to the joint
filing, along with all other such Reporting Persons, on behalf of each of them
of a statement on Schedule 13G (including amendments thereto) with respect to
the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and
that this Agreement be included as an Exhibit to such joint filing. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned hereby executes this Agreement as of
this 17th day of October, 2005.



                                          D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.

                                          By: /s/ Eric Wepsic
                                              ---------------
                                              Eric Wepsic
                                              Managing Director



                                          David E. Shaw

                                          By: /s/ Eric Wepsic
                                              ---------------
                                              Eric Wepsic
                                              Attorney-in-Fact for David E. Shaw