Vivendi is dead, long live Activision-Blizzard
by Michael Gray 
Jul 8th 2008 at 6:30PM
Okay, so we've been waiting for this moment for a few months. The waiting probably hasn't involved breathless anticipation or anything, but there's definitely been waiting. It's now official, and there's very little to go wrong -- Vivendi is merging with Activision, destroying the Vivendi Games name in favor of the new entity: Activision-Blizzard.Activision shareholders (and a little regulation-fu) were the only hold ups to the process. Today, Activision shareholders voted 92% in favor of merging with Vivendi. Which means that 8% voted against the deal -- I have to wonder what they were thinking. The old Vivendi folks have a 52% control of the new company (called Activision-Blizzard), which is projected to clock over $3.8 billion dollars annually.
The close date is tomorrow -- it's still technically possible that an enormous asteroid may fall from the heavens, plunging the entirety of the Earth into a post-nuclear wasteland. Or, zombies could attack. Maybe Zombie Murlocs, with their own MySpace accounts. But short of a Murloc invasion (I, for one, welcome our new Mrlglglglge overlords), there's nothing left for the merger but for the fat lady to sing.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jonathan Jul 8th 2008 6:34PM
Love the Simpsons reference ;)
stephen Jul 8th 2008 6:39PM
And why do I care about this news?? Unless this merger is going to make them pump out their products quicker, how does this effect me?
Hazzerd Jul 8th 2008 6:49PM
Well its certainly not going to make you any less of an ass.
Sean Riley Jul 8th 2008 6:53PM
You're seeing it because it's WoW related. Geeze. Some people will complain about anything.
hamiltonerics Jul 8th 2008 7:27PM
Oh be quiet. You don't care about this news but you care enough about how you don't care to comment? Seriously, man, calm down.
It is indeed potentially important. Of course, if the big wigs above Morhaime (ugh, spelling?) have half a brain, they will just leave Blizz to do what they do best--crank out some of the best video games in the world at their own, quality-based pace. Anything else and you lose the appeal Blizzard has built up and warranted over many, many, dedicated years. I mean, what other company has stuck with basically 3 titles for over a decade and only 3? And even with WoW shooting their profits through the roof, they are obviously still dedicated, with both SCII and D3 well underway--all while working on upgrading the most popular online game in the world.
So, yea, I like Blizzard.
But to continue responding to this obnoxious poster--WoW Insider is an opinion and NEWS blog regarding World of Warcraft. Thus all Blizzard news is fair game and exactly what I expect from such a blog. If they were not reporting on this I would be disappointed--not because it is likely to directly impact ur phat lewtz but because it is newsworthy and related.
God I hate all the "why does WoW Insider make crappy posts" comments cropping up all over the place these days. I suppose dissenters always are more emotional and willing to comment, but I chuckle a little bit inside when I see people who apparently hate this site avidly reading it and commenting.
What's better are those comments from people who have canceled their WoW accounts because "OMG Blizz sux and teh game is for teh scrubs and nubs now. I want my epeen back". When those people read a blog about a game they supposedly hate AND care enough to comment, well, that's just too bad.
I read and comment because I love it. Yes, that does make me morally superior. And yes, that previous sentence does make me arrogant.
Yay Blizz! Let's hope that this merger does indeed do absolutely nothing!
Eternalpayn Jul 8th 2008 7:30PM
Why does any of the news on this site affect you?
stephen Jul 8th 2008 6:41PM
And why do I care about this news?? Unless this merger is going tomake them pump out their products quicker, how does this effect me?
Sakerin Jul 9th 2008 8:33AM
Woot for doubleposted flaimbait!
spectre Jul 8th 2008 7:14PM
redundant idiot is redundant
hamiltonerics Jul 8th 2008 7:28PM
Ah what the hell? I just lost a giant diatribe aimed at stephen and why his comment and related WoW Insider sucks comments are inane. And I also described how awesome Blizz is. Well, there, now I said it.
hamiltonerics Jul 8th 2008 7:29PM
Nope, just didn't show up. Lol.
pongo_3931 Jul 8th 2008 11:54PM
I think this is important news. When Westwood merged with EA the quality and style of their games shifted (for the worst if you ask this nostalgic gamer). New management and a different approach to work may do the same thing for blizzard games... then again it may not. It's certainly nice to know about this merger none the less.
PimpyMicPimp Jul 9th 2008 1:34AM
Good, competition is bad.
Kaljin Jul 9th 2008 4:10AM
Wrong idiot, competition is good.
Finnicks Jul 9th 2008 5:26AM
Invading space-zombie murlocs with MySpace accounts?
>.<
The scariest part is the MySpace stuff. I hate that site.
Illy Jul 9th 2008 5:58AM
Actually, you got that wrong. What is merging with Activision is the games division of Vivendi, Vivendi Games, the main asset of which is Blizzard, but also some other games companies like Sierra. Its parent company, Vivendi, will have a 52% (and hence controlling) stake in the newly formed entity, Activision Blizzard. Vivendi itself is a fairly large media conglomerate, a member of the French CAC40 as well as the Eurostoxx50 indices, and isn't going anywhere at the moment.