By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming - Activision Blizzard merger approved

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/template.NDM/news/more/?javax.portlet.tpst=0b2c9a4dd5f89b80977dd367cc87b42f_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_0b2c9a4dd5f89b80977dd367cc87b42f_viewID=news_view_popup&javax.portlet.prp_0b2c9a4dd5f89b80977dd367cc87b42f_newsLang=en&javax.portlet.prp_0b2c9a4dd5f89b80977dd367cc87b42f_ndmHsc=v2*A1213009200000*B1215611614000*DgroupByDate*J2*L1*N1000837*Zblizzard&javax.portlet.prp_0b2c9a4dd5f89b80977dd367cc87b42f_newsId=20080708006247&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view_popup&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

So, as the title says, the merger was approved and will take effect some time today.  It was approved by over 92% of Activision shareholders.  Here is the complete article.

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that, at a special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, it received the stockholder approval necessary to consummate the companys agreement with Vivendi, S.A. to combine Vivendi Games, Vivendis interactive entertainment business, with Activisions businesses. All of the proposals required to effect the transaction received more than 92 percent of the shares voted. The transaction is expected to close on or around July 9, 2008.

Activision and Vivendi Games will combine their businesses through the merger of a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision with and into Vivendi Games. As a result of the merger, Vivendi Games, the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment and Sierra, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision. Vivendi will receive approximately 295.3 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi will purchase approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash, resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares outstanding. As of the closing of the transaction, Activision will be renamed Activision Blizzard and will continue to operate as a public company traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ATVI.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide pure-play online and console game publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Chile, India, Japan China, the region of Taiwan and South Korea. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

So correct me if I am wrong, but Activision buys Vivendi Games (Blizzard and Sierra) from Vivindi, and then Vivindi buys 52% of Activision Blizzard?  It doesn't seem very straight forward but maybe someone who understands more about business things like this can explain it a bit better.



Around the Network
cwbys21 said:

So correct me if I am wrong, but Activision buys Vivendi Games (Blizzard and Sierra) from Vivindi, and then Vivindi buys 52% of Activision Blizzard?  It doesn't seem very straight forward but maybe someone who understands more about business things like this can explain it a bit better.

When Activision and Vivendi games merged, it meant Vivendi couldn't retain majority ownership of the new company because Activision was bigger than Vivendi Games. In light of that, Vivendi bought part of Activision so that they would own over 50% of the new Activision Blizzard after the merge.

 

 



They should try to make some games instead, not all of this business nonsense!
Them rascals!

 >=l


*goes back to playing videogames*



great, now they need to merge the name somehow...



shio said:
cwbys21 said:

So correct me if I am wrong, but Activision buys Vivendi Games (Blizzard and Sierra) from Vivindi, and then Vivindi buys 52% of Activision Blizzard? It doesn't seem very straight forward but maybe someone who understands more about business things like this can explain it a bit better.

When Activision and Vivendi games merged, it meant Vivendi couldn't retain majority ownership of the new company because Activision was bigger than Vivendi Games. In light of that, Vivendi bought part of Activision so that they would own over 50% of the new Activision Blizzard after the merge.

Thats good, I prefer Vivendi's mode of business.

 



Around the Network
shio said:
cwbys21 said:

So correct me if I am wrong, but Activision buys Vivendi Games (Blizzard and Sierra) from Vivindi, and then Vivindi buys 52% of Activision Blizzard?  It doesn't seem very straight forward but maybe someone who understands more about business things like this can explain it a bit better.

When Activision and Vivendi games merged, it meant Vivendi couldn't retain majority ownership of the new company because Activision was bigger than Vivendi Games. In light of that, Vivendi bought part of Activision so that they would own over 50% of the new Activision Blizzard after the merge.

 

 

 

That does make a lot of sense.  Blizzard isn't that big of a company people wise (they got huge IPs but only three teams) and Sierra I didn't even know was still making games (only a slight joke there).

edit: actually I think Blizzard has 4 teams now, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, WoW team, and the secret MMO they have been hiring people on for.



pichu_pichu said:
great, now they need to merge the name somehow...

Blizzardvision?

 



Pixel Art can be fun.

They better not screw up Starcraft II or Diablo III.

That is all i've got to say.



iPhone = Great gaming device. Don't agree? Who cares, because you're wrong.

Currently playing:

Final Fantasy VI (iOS), Final Fantasy: Record Keeper (iOS) & Dragon Quest V (iOS)     

    

Got a retro room? Post it here!

Guess which was the number 1 selling PC game last week ?

yes, Diablo 2 !
Go Blizzard !



PS3-Xbox360 gap : 1.5 millions and going up in PS3 favor !

PS3-Wii gap : 20 millions and going down !

^D2 just became more lively lately. I was just on the other day.



iPhone = Great gaming device. Don't agree? Who cares, because you're wrong.

Currently playing:

Final Fantasy VI (iOS), Final Fantasy: Record Keeper (iOS) & Dragon Quest V (iOS)     

    

Got a retro room? Post it here!