Vivendi and Activision merge to form largest games publisher in the world

by Jem Alexander { Dec 2nd 2007 at 2:30PM }

In a surprise move that has gamers stunned, Vivendi (divisions of which include Blizzard and Sierra) and Activision (publishers of Guitar Hero III, Call of Duty 4, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground and more) have merged in a deal worth $18.9 billion. The resulting company, Activision Blizzard, is now the world's largest video games publisher.

Exactly what this means for PS3 owners (or any other gamers, for that matter) is unclear as of yet. No doubt we'll hear more details regarding the merger and what this means with regards to Vivendi Blizzard's gaming frachises over the coming weeks. We'll be sure to keep you up to date as more information becomes available.

Tags: activision, activision-blizzard, blizzard, vivendi

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

wonway01 @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:38PM

Well it can't be bad for PS3 owners thats for sure. COD4 sure shows they know how to work with the PS3!

PETEJOZ @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:46PM

Wow, a sierra/blizzard/activision merge.

What will they make? A Guitar Hero style roleplaying game that plays like Monkey Island and you take control of a dragoon orc from the future that rids around on a skateboard shooting nazis?

Dru @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:01PM

LMFAO. I was thinking the same thing.

I wonder how much of this is positioning against the ever larger EA brand. I'm sure it was in the works before EA expanded, but I can't help but wonder what it really does mean for the gaming landscape.

paskowitz @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:52PM

Please let this be the beginning of Starcraft Ghost. If SCII could come to the PS3 with keyboard support that would also be cool. Heck just release SCII at a reasonable date and I will be happy. I also would love to see a SC FPS. EA must be a least a little concerned.

Andy @ Dec 2nd 2007 3:37PM

As long as they don't turn into EA, this is only a good thing.

Livi70590 @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:07PM

Hurrah for Sierra, some of the best games ever have been picked up by them.

Fiefdom @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:15PM

I really hope this doesn't result in games which are already being made being shared between merging development teams. If Activision tries to help out with StarCraft II.... -______-

Dehshizknight @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:20PM

Wasn't Sierra a part of Half-Life 2 for PC? They should have got them to do the Orange Box for PS3 instead of EA. Oh well, I think they were busy working on TimeShift.

Richie @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:34PM

WoW for PS3 FTW ! ! ! :D

Aaron @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:44PM

I'd prefer a fun game for the PS3, not a game that becomes a second job.

Richie @ Dec 12th 2007 12:40PM

well i would like to see a wow for the ps3 but only if it has mouse keyboard support and interface addons.......

Popfrogs @ Dec 3rd 2007 6:13AM

...and if it didn't look like crap and eat more than half of your life.

Josh @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:40PM

HEADLINES: "Microsoft to buy out Activision Blizzard to make them exclusive the x-box 360 for $20 Billion"

Demis @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:42PM

Go Activision Blizzard!
Rott EA!

shortyvs @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:58PM

OMG! If this does anything to screw up Starcraft 2 I'm gonna be sooooooooo pissed!!!!!

GamerGuyX @ Dec 2nd 2007 5:06PM

Activision Blizzard is just a weird name. Like Square-Enix and Bandai Namco. Both of which I have yet to get used to.

UltimateNinja9 @ Dec 2nd 2007 5:06PM

Now that EA is not the biggest publisher they will have to stop using their random game generator and actually make real games.

Sammy @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:24PM

I trust Namco-Bandai less than Namco alone.

Square-Enix more than either alone.

Activision Blizzard is just silly...especially as the latter is not the publisher ...although Vivendi (despite having some nice developers under their wing) has never been something I've been able to link with quality for some reason.

Active Lizzard would please everybody.

Sammy @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:29PM

PS: Even if EA are not the biggest publisher at the moment...they will always be big. To be fair their sports games are largely solid (the rest is very hit and miss for such a big company), I just don't like the way they go about about things. Particularly with the loss of Bullfrog and Westwood somewhere in their digestive system.

Fiefdom @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:47PM

Yes! It seems there will be no merging of game development teams!

http://www.blizzard.com/press/activision-faq.shtml

Budman @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:33AM

I don't mean to urinate profusely on anyone's parade, but isn't Vivendi part of Universal? As in the Universal that would rather invest in HD-DVD instead of Blu-ray a'la Transformers? I could be wrong, but the way I am seeing it, this could actually turn out to be bad for Sony. It could wind up quite similar to how EA (Electronic Arts) has been making (less than stellar) games for our console. I hope someone out there in Sony-Land can prove me wrong because if I'm not, this could be very, very messy. Just like how sandstorms are very . . . . . very . . . . .dangerous.

mint400 @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:57AM

You are wrong actually. vivendi sold 80% of Universal to GE. These 80% + NBC = GE's NBC Universal subsidiary. So this has little to do with vivendi's gaming branch (although there's still a connection...)

jojo29 @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:39AM

Actually, this doesn't really change much. Blizzard has always put out quality products, when THEY deem they are ready. That's why everyone of their games are genre-defining:

Warcraft
Starcraft
World of Warcraft
Diablo

Activision knows this, and if they know any better, they will just let Blizzard do what they do best: Put out games that just bring in money, and reap the rewards, i mean they dont even have to do anything other than say "Good job Blizzard, on with the good work" and wait for the paychecks lol doing anything more than that will be foolish on Activision's part

Sora57 @ Dec 3rd 2007 9:55AM

How come I heard the deal is worth $9 billion, but this says its like $19 billion?

Anyway, the Universal connection via Vivendi is a concern. But the whole HDDVD BlueRay divide is not all consuming and I would not put it past any studio to change allegiances over the next 12 months.