Activision Blizzard Threads Merge!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7123582.stm

Well, i searched this and didn't find anything about it, so i hope i didn't just repost something.

pretty interesting though, eh ? Activision ussually makes a handfull of games and blizzard only makes a select few, but they're great in quality. I dont know if this will work out very well.

 

Activision and Blizzard will be called Activision Blizzard

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7123582.stm



[img width=203 height=152]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40814000/jpg/_40814811_warcraft_battle203.jpg[/img]World of Warcraft is played by more than nine million people

Video game giants in $18bn merger

By Rory Cellan-Jones
Technology correspondent, BBC News


The companies behind Call of Duty and World of Warcraft are merging in a deal which could shake up the global video games industry.

Activision and Blizzard have said they will form "the world's most profitable games business" in a deal worth $18.8bn (£9.15bn).

US-based Activision also makes hit console games such as the Tony Hawk series and Guitar Hero.

Nine million people pay a monthly subscription to play World of Warcraft.

'High-growth industry'

Blizzard is the biggest player in online gaming and Warcraft is the global market leader of what are known as massively multi-player online role-playing games, or MMORPGs.

It is currently owned by the French media group Vivendi.

As part of the merger plan, Blizzard will invest $2bn in the new company, while Activision is putting up $1bn.

The merged business will be called Activision Blizzard and its chief executive will be Activision's current CEO Bobby Kotick. Vivendi will be the biggest shareholder in the group.

Jean-Bernard Levy, Vivendi chief executive, said: "This alliance is a major strategic step for Vivendi and is another illustration of our drive to extend our presence in the entertainment sector.

"By combining Vivendi's games business with Activision, we are creating a worldwide leader in a high-growth industry."

Different strengths

The two firms are hoping that their different strengths will combine to form a business which is powerful on every gaming platform and in every territory.

Blizzard is strong in Asia, where its Starcraft series has proved hugely popular.

Starcraft, a strategy game first released in 1998, is played by millions of South Koreans in gaming cyber-cafes, and by professional gamers on television.

Activision has developed a presence on all three new generation game consoles - Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii - with franchises such as Spider-Man and X-Men.

The games software industry has been through turbulent years, with companies changing ownership and going in and out of business in rapid succession.

Activision was formed in 1979 and went through bankruptcy and a series of alliances and mergers before becoming successful.

Blizzard had been through a number of owners before ending up in the hands of Vivendi in 1998.

 

Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

[img width=250 height=150]http://news.filefront.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/blizzard_logo1.png[/img]​

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[img width=160 height=128]http://blog.wired.com/games/images/2007/07/11/activision_logo_160.jpg[/img]​

Shocking news from Blizzard press release :

Combination Brings Activision's Best-Selling Video Games, Including Guitar Hero®, Call of Duty®, and Tony Hawk, Together With Vivendi Games' Portfolio of Leading Franchises, Including Crash Bandicoot™ and Spyro™, and Blizzard Entertainment's® StarCraft®, Diablo® and Global #1 Subscription-Based World Of Warcraft®

Vivendi to Contribute Vivendi Games Valued at $8.1 Billion, Plus $1.7 Billion in Cash in Exchange for Approximately 52% Stake in Activision Blizzard at Closing; Total Transaction Valued at $18.9 Billion

Activision Blizzard Will Commence Post-Closing Cash Tender Offer for Up to 146.5 Million of its Shares at $27.50 per Share, Representing 31% Premium for Activision Stockholders Based on 20-Trading Day Average

Transaction Will Unlock Value of Blizzard Entertainment's Massively Multiplayer Online Games Business and Will Be Accretive to Stockholders of Activision and Vivendi

Read more : http://www.blizzard.com/press/071202.shtml

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

hahah! 3 topics of the same thing all aroudn the same time... however mine was posted first!

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

but mine was the best one

BBC >>>>>>>>>> blizzard press

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

Mine has the same exact link as yours along with my analysis.

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

LoL xD Mine includes pictures xD

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

what's mobygames?

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

Anyway, I don't care who gets the minerals, happy to share it with you

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

This is very interesting news. I just hope that Blizzard has more influence than Activision. While they're not terrible, they don't have the same kind of quality standards as Blizzard.

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

I specially choosed bigger Blizzard picture I hope Blizzard will still be masters of their domain...

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

I made a post about this for the front page.

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

What the...? LT gets all credits again? I think his newspost is too long as for frontpage Let's boycot that! ;D

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

Forum monopoly did it's dirty job

 

Re: Vivendi and Activision merges : Activision Blizzard!

Note to people who find news items: find a huge block of text, post it, and send a PM to a mod, it's LT's secret.

Threads merged, locked, linking to the one on the front page.

The new main thread is here.