Activision and Vivendi merge into Activision Blizzard

[Omega Amen]

The merger is a $18 billion deal. And for those confused by the new name, remember that Blizzard Entertainment (makers of WarCraft, StarCraft, and Diablo) is actually owned by Vivendi Universal. Activision publishes some noteworthy titles such as the Call of Duty series, Guitar Hero, and Tony Hawk.

Read the press announcement here.

Not sure what to think about this personally. I do see this as a move to further put a lot of competitive pressure on EA in the publishing business.

EDIT: Oh yeah, this allows Activision to have access to Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company. Imagine the song list for Guitar Hero from now on.

EDIT 2: My memory is coming back. All these developers will be under one roof now: Bizarre Creations (PGR series), Infinity Ward (Call of Duty), Neversoft (Tony Hawk), RedOctane (Guitar Hero), Blizzard Entertainment (War/StarCraft/Diablo), and Sierra Entertainment (World In Conflict).

[Doubleshadow]

Wow, that is a serious amount of marketing and franchising power. Do you think the merger will result in better products? I'm wondered the might undergo the fiscal and creative equivalent of getting cocky.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Guuuuuuh. I don't like Vivendi Universe after their idiotic lawsuits with Valve. I also never knew that Blizzard was owned by Vivendi.

Activision I don't care too much for.

[Cognitive Gear]

I think this is good, as it will put pressure on EA to improve. As long as Blizzard is still mostly left to it's own devices, that is.

[Omega Amen]

Okay,... if they get Infinity Ward to make a Call of Duty-esque StarCraft FPS (space marine surviving Zerg rushes and as a Ghost infiltrating bases and bringing down the nukes), then I say this would be a good merger.

[blkmage]

I don't think I would ever have expected Blizzard to be taking part in anything like this. I would have thought that they'd take steps to gain more autonomy and independence like Valve, especially after Bill Roper and co. left.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Okay,... if they get Infinity Ward to make a Call of Duty-esque StarCraft FPS (space marine surviving Zerg rushes and as a Ghost infiltrating bases and bringing down the nukes), then I say this would be a good merger.

No, more like "World of Guitarcraft".

They'd have more money than God.

[Scarecrow]

I really did not know Vivendi Universal was so big. Every game that has directly come from VU itself has been pretty much crap (the terrible Universal Studios game along with that horrid Batman game will never leave my mind), I'm surprise they actually own talent like Blizzard and such.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I really did not know Vivendi Universal was so big. Every game that has directly come from VU itself has been pretty much crap

O RLY

[Scarecrow]

Actually I made a mistake. VU didn't make those games, Kemco did. I thought for some reason it was VU but my bad. Everything THEY made was crap. Don't know how I got em mixed up with VU but anyway.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

VU isn't a game developer at all. (Not to my knowledge, anyway) They just publish stuff.

[Saj]

Well this is going to be one major money making machine! As long as Blizzard is left alone, this is a really good merge.