Activision and Vivendi to merge, become Activision Blizzard
In a move completely out of the blue Vivendi and Activision have announced that they will be merging in a $18.9 billion dollar deal. Activision Blizzard will consist now consist of one company that contains all the properties and development teams that both Activision (Spiderman, Guitar Hero, James Bond etc) and Vivendi (Crash Bandicoot & Spyro) own including Blizzard and yes that includes World of Warcraft the world’s #1 multi-player online role-playing game franchise. Together the companies say that they will be creating the world’s largest pure-play online and console game publisher. More inside
Vivendi will own a 52% stake in the newly form company. The current Chairman of Vivendi Games; Rene Penisson says that “”We are very confident that by combining forces, Activision Blizzard will set the highest standards in quality, reputation and profitability, and will bring together the best creative teams in the industry. The combination of this unique product portfolio with highly professional employees gives us great confidence in the growth prospects for Activision Blizzard.””
Activisions Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Kotick says that This is an outstanding transaction for Activision and our stockholders, as well as a pivotal event in the continuing transformation of the interactive entertainment industry. By combining leaders in mass-market entertainment and subscription-based online games, Activision Blizzard will be the only publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry and reach the broadest possible audiences. By joining forces with Vivendi Games, we will become the immediate leader in the highly profitable online games business and gain a large footprint in the rapidly growing Asian markets, including China and Korea, while maintaining our leading operating performance across North America and Europe.
Blizzard has already issued a FAQ saying that nothing will change on a day to day basis, as for Activision Blizzard’s Press Release you can read the jargon filled release here.
