Macworld: Vivendi, Activision to create computer ...

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11 Replies Last post: Dec 5, 2007 12:14 AM by kingarthur

MW Forums

12,220 posts since
Aug 2, 2004

Dec 3, 2007 4:10 AM

Vivendi, Activision to create computer games giant

Vivendi plans to acquire a majority stake in games publisher Activision and merge the company with its own gaming unit to form a massive video games publisher. more

Toe_MW

68 posts since
Sep 23, 2004

1. Dec 3, 2007 9:33 AM

in response to: MW Forums

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Does this somehow mean that we'll be seeing Diablo III any day now?

scfischer

66 posts since
Apr 29, 2004

2. Dec 3, 2007 10:07 AM

in response to: Toe_MW

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Quote:<hr />
Does this somehow mean that we'll be seeing Diablo III any day now?

<hr />

I don't know about that but I have been waiting for the D3 announcement for quite some time now. Some of the early rumors promise that this will be an incredible game. D2 is still my favorite computer game and even now, six years after its release, it's still very playable and re-playable. Oh well, until D3, my Level 79 Amazon and I are going to kill some cows...

ReeceTarbert

57 posts since
Aug 9, 2007

3. Dec 3, 2007 11:06 AM

in response to: Toe_MW

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Quote:<hr />
Does this somehow mean that we'll be seeing Diablo III any day now?

<hr />

Don't know abou that, but with franchises like "Call of Duty", "Tony Hawk" and "World of Warcraft" under the same roof, the possibilities become endless.

"Guitar Hero: Azeroth Remixes", anyone?

Or maybe Orcs and Elves emulating Tony Hawk?

On a more serious note: CoD as a true MMOG could be pretty cool, though.

Peter Cohen

4,148 posts since
Feb 5, 2003

4. Dec 3, 2007 11:36 AM

in response to: ReeceTarbert

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Personally, I hope there's little, if any creative crossover between the two -- limit it just to cases where it makes sense to have one group co-managing both business unit's efforts. Not that I have anything against Activision, or against Blizzard, but I love each company's independent development efforts and hope to see them stay that way -- independent of each other.

HumanJHawkins

538 posts since
Jan 22, 2003

5. Dec 3, 2007 12:06 PM

in response to: MW Forums

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games giant

Quote:<hr />
Vivendi plans to acquire a majority stake in games publisher Activision and merge the company with its own gaming unit to form a massive video games publisher. <a href="/news/2007/12/03/vivendi/index.php">more</a>

<hr />

Bummer... This kind of merger can't be good for the consumer. But something like this had to happen I guess, with WOW turning Blizzard into an absolute tycoon.

Maclectic

141 posts since
Aug 27, 2005

6. Dec 3, 2007 12:28 PM

in response to: HumanJHawkins

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Quote:<hr />

Bummer... This kind of merger can't be good for the consumer. But something like this had to happen I guess, with WOW turning Blizzard into an absolute tycoon.

<hr />

I agree. I think this is more of a move by Vivendi to try to leverage Blizzard outside of MMOs and RTSs. It's probably bound to fail, but hopefully slowly.

I suppose Activision could provide some expertise to revive things like Starcraft: Ghost, but I'm not hopeful. Big companies always promise that mergers will be beneficial without changing things at the more successful side of the pre-merger arrangement, but rarely does it come true.

It would have been best for Vivendi to say there will be change, but it won't happen before clearly laying out a plan and explaining how and why it will work. They don't have that I think.

- Maclectic

Peter Cohen

4,148 posts since
Feb 5, 2003

7. Dec 3, 2007 12:41 PM

in response to: Maclectic

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

A FAQ has been posted to Blizzard's Web site explaining the deal. The bottom line is that they're pretty emphatic that this won't change a thing either in their product development plans or their day-to-day management.

drdreric

171 posts since
Mar 3, 2004

8. Dec 3, 2007 1:33 PM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Quote:<hr />
The bottom line is that they're pretty emphatic that this won't change a thing either in their product development plans or their day-to-day management.

<hr />

i hope so Peter. Macs are on the ascendant, but us old fa..... errr.. folks have seen great Mac companies abandon us by as part of a merger's cost-cutting. Blizzard has always been scrupulously cross-platform and I hope that doesn't change. No way to know for a while.

kingarthur

99 posts since
Oct 5, 2004

9. Dec 3, 2007 9:27 PM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

I would like to see some Activision games come to the Mac side though. Activision's Marvel Ultimate Alliance would be a great choice. Perhaps the Mac version could also have their own exclusive characters.

Peter Cohen

4,148 posts since
Feb 5, 2003

10. Dec 3, 2007 9:57 PM

in response to: kingarthur

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Activision games do come to the Mac, all the time. Just ask Aspyr Media, which publishes them. Case in point: Guitar Hero III.

kingarthur

99 posts since
Oct 5, 2004

11. Dec 5, 2007 12:14 AM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Vivendi, Activision to create computer games g

Quote:<hr />
Activision games do come to the Mac, all the time. Just ask Aspyr Media, which publishes them. Case in point: Guitar Hero III.

<hr />

True but not some of the ones I want.

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Dec 3, 2007 4:10 AM

Vivendi, Activision to create computer games giant

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