Activizzard

MoP

Activision and Blizzard are doing some sort of weird merger to create Activision Blizzard, leaving Vivendi with a 52% controlling stock.
Thoughts? World of Guitarcraft anyone?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7123582.stm

http://www.activisionblizzard.com/pressReleases/pr120207.php

Mark Dygert

Lamest merger name ever. It's a little sad to see Blizzard's identity smashed into another juggernaut and not survive entirely intact. I guess thats what happens when you make something so popular that it draws much heat from the cooperate money hounds. They should keep their respective names and the checks go to whatever soulless corp that is only interested in the money. Everyone wins.

Joao Sapiro

i hope blizzard games dont turn into shit, its all im asking.

MoP

Why would they? Activision pumps out some fairly awesome titles. They've got the Mechwarrior series, the Call of Duty series, Guitar Hero series, Tony Hawk, Doom 3 under their belt... admittedly also quite a few of the "filler" big budget movie tie-ins (Spiderman etc.) but as far as I've seen they tend to back more quality and original titles than EA (Sims add-on money-spinners, anyone?).

I'm sure whoever's in charge isn't silly enough to start telling Blizzard what to do, Blizzard know what they're doing, and they do what they do best. I don't see that changing. Activision tend to be fairly lenient as a publisher when it's other people's intellectual property.

low odor

Seems like a quest for more money...Blizzard is making a gazzilion dollars on WOW. Why would they even need to do this. They'll bring us WOW2: the search for more money, WOW the breakfast cereal, WOW the Flamethrower.

Who know's maybe it will be a good thing.

Slum

I work for Activision and it's awesome. Look at the quality titles put out by activision owned studios. It would be silly to think that Activision is going to jump in and start screwing up what Blizzard does. They know what they're doing, and obviously good things can come from this. Blizzard obviously don't need something like this given the success they've had, and I can imagine they are smart enough to make sure they keep control of what they need to. Mergers aren't all bad...

flaagan

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hey the only positive comments in here are from people affiliated with activision

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The folks at Blizzards are too busy counting their money to give a damn.

fmnoor

I thought this was a joke at first when I read it on another site. It's just really weird to read it as "Activision Blizzard".

PfhorRunner

Low Odor, I appreciate the spaceballs reference

pliang

This whole thing's not funny...

rebb

Can't wait to play Call of WarCraft and StarQuake. Woohoo !

acc

Blizzard's Stance

Sounds like they are basically saying "We don't actually have anything to do with this, our name is just being exploited for Vivendi's sake".

Of course that's bunk, just like the Bioware situation. "Management" might not change but they are still owned by new people and that always means changes in some form or another.

warby

yeah vivendi is not blizzard !


publisher owned or not blizzard is gonna keep its name i mean they have some sort of brand recognition thing going right ?!

/EDIT it actually says that on the blizzard faq that got linked higher up

Pseudo

SO Activision + Vivendi = Activision Blizzard

..................

oookay.


Aside from the stupid name combination, and their lame attempt at using the Blizzard name to grab attention, I think it's a great attempt at knocking EA out of the number 1 spot.

I'm surprised that both companies came to any sort of agreement over the merger, but it does make sense when looking at how many executives have been going back and forth between Vivendi and Activision over the last 3 years.


Having spent time working at both Activision and Vivendi, all I have to say is that I wish I would have kept more of my stocks.

pliang

I wonder if this will help EA buying out everyone in the next decide or so just as easily.

Slum

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hey the only positive comments in here are from people affiliated with activision

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You imply that individual artists have something to gain from 'endorsing' a publisher on a message board.. I could certainly just not say anything at all and let the rumors fly around about how evil a publisher is, or I can try to put some minds at rest by suggesting it's most likely not as bad as the interweb teenage conspiracy theorists want you to think.

It's kind of like EA Mythic. Tons of people who have no idea what they are talking about say "EA IS GOING TO RUIN MYTHIC OMFG" while the people who actually WORK there are saying everything is fine.

ebagg

Sounds interesting. Somehow I doubt Blizzard's work will be messed with, they don't need any help when it comes to make triple A titles that sell insane numbers.

MoP

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I think it's a great attempt at knocking EA out of the number 1 spot.

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AFAIK Activision are the #1 publisher in terms of profits at the moment. If they aren't any more, they were for the first 6 months of this year.

JDinges

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I think it's a great attempt at knocking EA out of the number 1 spot.

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AFAIK Activision are the #1 publisher in terms of profits at the moment. If they aren't any more, they were for the first 6 months of this year.

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They have been recently, yeah.

adam

Anyone got a link to this ATVI being #1 publisher? I remember reading it, but can't remember where.

Anyway, those who're hoping Blizzard makes shit games now need not worry for 2 reasons. 1.) Activision doesn't really make shit. And 2.) Vivendo owns 52% of the "Activision Blizzard", so Vivendi would be making the majority vote calls, not ATVI. So, no need to worry that 'ATVI could fuck things up'.

:P

aesir

All games should be made by a single mega company. I'm sure someone could make a chart that shows, based on current trends, how many years are left till it happens.

Slum

heh.. i suppose i took your post the wrong way? I see how it can (just like EQ) 'go both ways'

Emil Mujanovic

Per
You're my favourite on these boards. You have the right mix of "FUCK OFF" and "I is teh better than you is, n00b!". Its great, each post brings me closer to enlightenment.

-caseyjones

Toomas

Dunno what to think about it. If some key Blizzard devs pulled in shit loads of money with the deal then i would assume they gonna bail asap and Blizzard is in danger of exploding ala OSI and Bullfrog.
If its just corporate thing and they dont start plastering Blizzard logos allover their range then i guess nothing big will happen.

Worst thing they can do is use Blizzard logo to boost sales on some mediocre project.

HonkyPunch

I'm just hoping some of that hot sexy blizzard art style is used in games like tony hawk or other titles now. That'd be awesome. Need more hot, sexy, stylish WOW stuff. NWWWWEEEDD ET

Pseudo

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I'm just hoping some of that hot sexy blizzard art style is used in games like tony hawk or other titles now. That'd be awesome. Need more hot, sexy, stylish WOW stuff. NWWWWEEEDD ET

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Blizzard has been owned by Vivendi/Sierra for years now and they haven't worked with the other VU games developers, so don't hold your breath.

Motz

So much ignorance. Nothing will change. Bliz has stated this already. You don't simply tell a company that has over 100 Million a month in revenue to change practice. It's just a back-end merger.

The studios will not be mixing content.