Activision, Vivendi Universal merge

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 3rd December 2007
Comments (17) Stumble
Activision and Vivendi Universal have announced a merger which cost around $18 Billion.

Activision and Vivendi Universal have announced a merger which cost around $18 Billion.

It's part of my job to keep my ear close to the ground for interesting developments and shifts in the world of games, but I have to confess that this one caught me off-guard too. It seems to have just had that effect on most everyone and even Joystiq were more than a little shocked.

Lets cut to the chase: Vivendi Universal, owner of the Sierra brand and of Blizzard Entertainment, has merged with Activision, owner of Call of Duty 4 and the Tony Hawk series.

So, yeah - the news is pretty damn big.

The merger has resulted in the formation of a new company with the oh-so-imaginative name of Activision Blizzard and the move cost around $18 Billion. Vivendi Universal will own around 52 percent of the new company, but Activision Blizzard will be headed up by Activision's CEO, Bobby Kotick.

For all those WoW addicts though who're worried about the future of their drug game, Blizzard sent President Mike Morhaime to explain things to 1-Up.

"If you want to buy stock in the company, the stock is called Activision Blizzard; the central shared services for the company, such as the sales and distribution force, will be Activision Blizzard. But Blizzard Entertainment will continue to be a publishing label... You should not see it [Activision Blizzard] on anything. It will not be associated with any product." He said.

News is still trickling through on how the merger may effect the future of other games and we will keep everyone updated obviously, but until then you can always let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Quote yakyb 3rd December 2007, 11:57
with EA eating up the market also things could turn out real interesting with only a handful of publishers left
Quote MiNiMaL_FuSS 3rd December 2007, 12:17
seconded, anythign that keeps EA away from eating another company is a good move.
Quote mWMA 3rd December 2007, 12:25
Wait a minute there... isn't it blizzard and Activision that merged and Vivendi hold controlling stake in the new company and the company will be headed by Activision current CEO
Quote DXR_13KE 3rd December 2007, 12:59
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiNiMaL_FuSS
seconded, anythign that keeps EA away from eating another company is a good move.

+1
Quote Hells_Bliss 3rd December 2007, 13:45
Quote:
Originally Posted by yakyb
with EA eating up the market also things could turn out real interesting with only a handful of publishers left

+2 EA either needs a reality check, or sell off their PC division to somebody that actually cares about the PC market.
Quote BioSniper 3rd December 2007, 17:22
So we'll end up with such classic titles as: Blizzard presents: Tony Hawks World of World War 2 Craft - The mmo, then? :P
Quote DeX 3rd December 2007, 18:36
They should have called it Actiblivizzardsion. Much better than Activision Blizzard

Oh and: "News is still trickling through on how the merger may effect the future of other games...". Sorry I'm obviously being a typo Nazi today.
Quote FooSai 3rd December 2007, 20:39
Quote:
Originally Posted by BioSniper
So we'll end up with such classic titles as: Blizzard presents: Tony Hawks World of World War 2 Craft - The mmo, then? :P

or the new skateboard mount on WoW! =)
Quote 2JSC 3rd December 2007, 20:55
But there ends up only being 3-4 publishers total... how good are the games going to be? Is this better for them or for everyone?
Quote themax 3rd December 2007, 21:42
According to Blizzard this changes nothing as far as their dev teams go.
Quote DXR_13KE 3rd December 2007, 21:56
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2JSC
But there ends up only being 3-4 publishers total... how good are the games going to be? Is this better for them or for everyone?

there are more publishers i think.....
Quote Ghys 4th December 2007, 00:17
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2JSC
But there ends up only being 3-4 publishers total... how good are the games going to be? Is this better for them or for everyone?

publishers and developers are two different thing so I doubt it would change anything
Quote Amon 4th December 2007, 04:37
I thought the biggest publisher was Take 2 Interactive.
Quote completemadness 4th December 2007, 16:11
What's the difference between them? Publishers make discs? Developers make games?

EA develops and makes (like the discs) games, and are the biggest (that I'm aware of)
I don't know the other biggie's, or if there are really any other players
Quote Amon 4th December 2007, 16:39
Tt seems that Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. might actually be the world's biggest publisher/developer of games, although this arm does include profits from and development for the PlayStation hardware.
Quote completemadness 4th December 2007, 16:50
google + wikipedia ftw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_publisher#Selected_video_game_publishers

Nintendo - #1
EA - #2
Activision - #3
Then Ubisoft, THQ and Tt, Sega of America, Sony, Microsoft

So Tt and Sony are quite low down, im surprised Ninty got the #1 spot though (EA was #1 in 2006)
Quote Amon 4th December 2007, 17:23
Quote:
Originally Posted by completemadness
google + wikipedia ftw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_publisher#Selected_video_game_publishers

Nintendo - #1
EA - #2
Activision - #3
Then Ubisoft, THQ and Tt, Sega of America, Sony, Microsoft

So Tt and Sony are quite low down, im surprised Ninty got the #1 spot though (EA was #1 in 2006)
Arigato. Very coor.

I think the "quality of products" criteria was an influence in Nintendo taking #1 from EA.
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