Activision And Vivendi Games Merge Together

8 Responses

1. Rajiv Ashrafi

   December 2nd, 2007 at 11:50 am

   1

   That’s BIG news!

2. Josh B.

   December 2nd, 2007 at 2:45 pm

   2

   Okay, so I now won’t be buying any of Vivendi’s games either since they’ve now attached themselves to Activision who’s Australian CoD4 price gouge on Steam has left a VERY bitter taste in my mouth.

3. monir

   December 2nd, 2007 at 3:55 pm

   3

   ^you don’t have to buy from steam.

4. Josh B.

   December 2nd, 2007 at 11:28 pm

   4

   No you’re right I don’t, but Steam allows those of us in Australia to buy games at the far more reasonable US price rather than the usual price of US$88 or AUS$100. Digital distribution across the world should all have the same price. If the US had to start paying the same amount for games on Steam as those of us in Australia are forced to do with games like CoD4 all hell would break loose.

5. Anuban

   December 3rd, 2007 at 10:05 am

   5

   Now this is news that is really going to shake up the gaming industry. I really wonder how EA is going to respond to this major shift in the power players position. They have been the no.1 3rd party publisher for so long this must be causing them some amount on consternation. Also it is going to be interesting to see how companies like THQ, Epic, Valve, Cryek, and some of the other smaller but highly relevant players in the biz. My feeling is that we are going to see even more shocking mergers happen in 2008. I wouldn’t be surprised to see EA and Ubisoft merge completely and then buy up companies like Valve, Epic, and Crytek. In the future there will probably only be a handful of very profitable gaming companies … I just hope that doesn’t mean negative things for the consumer and I do hope that these smaller but successful dev companies and smaller publishers can remain independent but now I can’t see that happening. This merger is going to send shockwaves through this industry for more than just a week or two.

6. James Hyde

   December 3rd, 2007 at 10:49 am

   6

   Anuban: EA already owns some 20% of Ubisoft, and analysts expect - and advise EA - to either sell the 20% or buy the whole thing.

   I don’t think EA will buy Ubi, simply because of financial trouble, as they have been performing badly the past few months, and because the Ubi stock is rising and rising.

   Valve and Epic on the other hand, I doubt anyone will ever buy them. The people who run both companies it are far too independent to take any offer from anyone.

   But a Valve+Epic merger might be something, ha?

7. monir

   December 3rd, 2007 at 11:08 am

   7

   valve and epic are companies where we wont see merging. valve doesnt even have a heirachical system like most companies do, so every employees word is equal. both are great companies, wish more were like that.

8. Anuban

   December 3rd, 2007 at 8:25 pm

   8

   Don’t be so sure about those companies merging or EA outright buying Ubi … stranger things have happened in the business world and its not like anyone saw this Activision and Vivendi merging coming. The point is you never know … the one thing you can always expect is the unexpected in other words.