GameSetWatch analyzes Activision/Vivendi merger
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Dec 2nd 2007 at 8:15PM }
While their enormous press release ironed out all of the technical details behind the Activision/Vivendi Games merger which occurred earlier today, there are still a number of questions left unanswered by the two companies. How is control over the new company going to be distributed? Will you be developing games together? What was the main reason for the merger? Will Activision now use a new logo and brand name? Where you get them jeans?Basing his analysis on the tone of the press release, and on recent movements in the video game industry, Simon Carless over at GameSetWatch addresses some of those outstanding questions. Apparently, Activision is going to be in charge of running the business, Electronic Arts has cause for concern, and Blizzard has more money than a number of countries, including Grenada, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. Thanks, Wikipedia!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Neebs @ Dec 2nd 2007 8:32PM
Wow that was a fast "pointing out the obvious!"
Well, standard analysis fair, anyways.
Blue_Falcon @ Dec 2nd 2007 8:36PM
I think this is somewhat fascinating, given how opposite the two developers somewhat are from one another.
Activision is bigger into consoles, while Blizzard is the opposite. Blizzard's one of the few Western developers who has made an impact in the East (Korea basically lives and breathes Starcraft), having this truly worldwide presence that Activision could play off. Basically they have all of their bases covered.
I think it would be interesting to see some of their developers crossover and make something. Not necessarily a merger of two different franchises (World of Tony Hawk MMO, anyone? =P) but too see these companies use their creative assets to create something new.
I find the name kind of ridiculous though.
vildmule @ Dec 2nd 2007 8:59PM
You know, if I had a spare 18 billion dollars lying around I would've bought up activision too. Then I could've closed down the bastards who murdered trokia games.
Reign of Uselessness @ Dec 2nd 2007 9:37PM
Activision didn't kill Trokia games, It was Valve; so blame Vivendi.
They Sat on Vampire: Bloodlines for a year or so because their source engine contract stated they could not beat Half Life 2 to retail. The constant delays Half Life 2 hurt them badly.
Yuccadude @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:18PM
So theoretically, if I owned Activision in its entirety, I could have several private islands where I could conduct my evil plans to take over the world...
Negativecool @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:20PM
I don't understand what Blizzard gets out of merging with Activision. Blizzard's WoW PRINTS money...seems to me Activision would just be dead weight sucking on the teet of Blizzard's billion dollar franchise.
jynxycat @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:09AM
Blizzard isn't merging with Activision, Vivendi is. Blizzard is under Vivendi's large umbrella.
Negativecool @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:48AM
Whoever, it doesn't matter. Look, it just makes no business sense to me that a company as independently profitable as Blizzard is would merge with anyone.
gonk @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:53AM
it's all about the benjamins
Shrain @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:21AM
Yeah I mean, Activision has made of a game of pretty much every genre. It would only pull in more money for Blizzard, 'specially if they can call the shots to Activision and make their games better.
Barla Von @ Dec 3rd 2007 7:39AM
Another heavyweight ready to hang with EA & Ubisoft.