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Joystiq

Activision considering an acquisition (or eight)

by Alexander Sliwinski on Mar 4th 2009 9:55AM

Let's role-play: You're mega-publisher Activision Blizzard, with $3 billion in cash and no debt. What do you do?

...

NO, building the world's largest ball pool is not an acceptable answer. According to Activision Publishing's top man, Mike Griffith, Blizzavision is considering going on an acquisition safari. Bloomberg reports that Griffith didn't mention any specific targets, but added that the company "won't rush to judgment" just because it has the cash. Let's remember, when Activision really uses its cash, it grabs multi-million dollar franchises or merges into multi-billion dollar corporations.

[Via VideoGamer]

[Image]

Source

Tags: activision, activision-blizzard, mike-griffith

Reader Comments (30)

Okay, so I'd build the world's larget bal-

...

>:(

You could send me a free Guitar Hero World tour setup.

And by you I mean they, and by they I mean Activision. Also why not buy Mortal Kombat, just because.

Does Activision publish any fighting games at all?
Mortal Komat might not be a bad idea.

Mortal Komat v.s. Tony Hawk anyone?

What would be Bam Margera's stupid uncle's fatality?

Im not sure but I think it would involve the molesting of a teen.

Hello AcTHQard.

"...building the world's largest ball pool is not an acceptable answer."

Oh cmon! It's at least an option:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43GW9alZKs

(or for those of you who have been scarred by Rick Roll: http://kotaku.com/gaming/hijinx/ea-tiburon-employees-are-so-crazy-299532.php)

Just don't try to buy Rock Band or Harmonix, ok?

Congrats to Alex on the totally arbitrary and completely unrelated image tie-in!

Two chicks at the same time, man.

that's it? you had a million dollars you'd do 2 chicks at the same time?

I'd invite them to play in my ball pool.

Why not, um, just hold onto the cash? Why make yourself bigger and more susceptible to failure like EA was?

Because if you have the cash to do something now, now's the time to do it. Get something at a bargin price, that will be worth loads more than you paid for it when we recover.

If your $3billion is worth 8 companies now, in a years time it may only be worth 5 companies. You still have your $3billion, but its worth a lot less.
So you spend your $3billion now on 8 companies that in a few years time are worth $5billion.

I would build the world's second largest ball pool and use the leftover money to build giant billboards which I would place outside the offices of EA, that simply say "Ha ha."

Isn't this how it all starts? Two successful companies merge, both seem to make really awesome products that are the driving force behind the venture but they join forces to "try new things" and throw lots of cash out the window. Then one day someone realizes that it all has gone horribly wrong, people don't buy the hunderds re-iteration of their product anymore (CoD XXXXLLIV) or are fed up by the experiments (three part campaign for Starcraft 2/ Action based Diablo III) and both former partners (and all their newly acquired franchises) plummet to their death in a vicious fireball of shareholder snarling and executive bonuses.

Please, I hope I'm wrong.

I find it somewhat unsettling that this article is right above the Midway's possible sale of Mortal Kombat franchise.

Or maybe that is good, can't really say.

If I put on my accounting hat for a second..

I would suggest to Activision to play it conservative right now and limit how much money they spend. If given the choice I would see if they could buy up Midway. That way they could turn around and put games such as Smash TV and NBA Jam on the Xbox Live and PSN, make multiple Mortalk Kombat Vs. games, and sell off any other IPs Midway still has to other developers.

Buying up Midway sounds a bit like investing in a subprime mortgage firm :)

To be honest Mortal Kombat is a bit of a faded franchise - I don't think it has the value today it once did. I mean, I guess if it's cheap, maybe... but if you've got three bil, why not buy something good?

If I had three billion in cash and no debt, what would I do if I were Activision/Blizzard?

Buy Eidos and give the Ion Storm/Looking Glass Studios titles (Anachronox, Deus Ex, Thief, System Shock, and *sigh* Daikatana) proper AAA sequels

Ahem, apparently I clicked the wrong reply link, sorry about that.

What does Activision need, though. Where are they wanting

A good fighting game is the only answer i could think of atm, but i'm not sure Activision would be the best group to handle Mortal Kombat

No, but a Blizzard-developed Mortal Kombat would be worth a look.

If I had $3B I would not acquire Midway just buy up MK. it would be cheap to buy midway but there really isn't any other value besides mortal Kombat it would be just throwing money away unless they also want studios. and also use it for original IP creation if they can't atleast create one original project then its EA 2.0 even worst then the original.

Buy 3D Realms. Spend shed loads of cash into a army of developers n get Duke Nukem out the door.
Then buy Phantom and make the Phantom console (stick decent stuff in it, tie it to Steam and viola)
Then Lionhead (actually they'd be quite good anyway) and get Dungeon Keeper 3 out too.

Then make a giant Ballpool/buy EA for the lulz.

I thought I was the only one who still wanted Dungeon Keeper 3 to come out. I remember the trailer still. It was supposed to be about invading above ground, if I recall properly.

um, the only company I know that are independent and have a mega franchise is bethsesda studios, and valve. Better not screw with either two companies.

Activision to take Mortal Kombat anyone?

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Activision considering an acquisition (or eight)

Reader Comments (30)

Posted: Mar 4th 2009 10:01AM Geist said

Posted: Mar 4th 2009 10:11AM Dirty said

Posted: Mar 4th 2009 10:12AM Dirty said

Posted: Mar 4th 2009 10:59AM Joeybeast said

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Posted: Mar 4th 2009 3:26PM Dirty said

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Posted: Mar 4th 2009 10:36AM Dark Archon PSN Archonik XBL Dar said

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