Activision holding merger vote July 8

Publisher to convene stockholders next month to approve union with Vivendi Games; SEC approval final precursor to creation of Activision Blizzard.

Today, Activision stockholders received an e-mail bearing the headline "Activision Files Definitive Proxy Statement Relating to the Proposed Combination with Vivendi Games." The announcement proclaimed that on the morning of July 8, stockholders in the Guitar Hero publisher will meet in Beverly Hills, California, to vote on the merger with Vivendi Games. The games division of French media multinational Vivendi SA, Vivendi Games includes Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft, Starcraft II) and Sierra Entertainment (The Bourne Conspiracy, the forthcoming Ghostbusters game).

In the likely event that shareholders approve the deal, there will be few obstacles left to the union of Activision and Vivendi Games into a new company, Activision Blizzard. Having already been given the go-ahead by European Union regulators, the deal must still be given the blessing of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US. Today's filing was the first step in that process, which will look for any potential antitrust issues.

Valued at $18.9 billion, Activision Blizzard will be headquartered in Santa Monica, and will have current Activision CEO Bobby Kotick as its CEO. However, Vivendi SA will have a controlling interest in the company, and Blizzard's operations in nearby Irvine will be almost totally unaffected, president and cofounder Mike Morhaime told GameSpot. The same can't be said for Sierra, which will be folded into Activision's organizational structure.

69 Comments

  • osmifura

    Posted Oct 20, 2008 4:51 pm PT

    yea for real...

  • neonitin

    Posted Jul 17, 2008 11:06 am PT

    yo r u all serious ..

    Nanotechnology is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry (which refers to the area of chemistry that focuses on the noncovalent bonding interactions of molecules), self-replicating machines and robotics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biological engineering, and electrical engineering. Much speculation exists as to what may result from these lines of research.

  • sandman004

    Posted Jul 10, 2008 8:30 am PT

    I think It would make gaming very interesting If these two joined because they're both great companies.

  • coolcats1

    Posted Jun 27, 2008 6:57 am PT

    if we vote do we get a gamespot metal?

  • RatchetRulz

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:14 pm PT

    Secret plan Activision Blizzlard... ACTIVATE!!!! MWAHAHAHA

  • thuglife31

    Posted Jun 13, 2008 9:45 pm PT

    good luck. god is us

  • Mega-Tom

    Posted Jun 13, 2008 6:00 am PT

    Good luck to them. As long as they continue to make amazing games who cares what there called. you people are looking into this WAY to much.

  • Hicks_1

    Posted Jun 12, 2008 8:37 am PT

    Dawn of war 2 will get the best rts game, watch it happen.

  • humbikmeamyou

    Posted Jun 12, 2008 12:00 am PT

    Its NOT about what you want, but how they can make money selling you something you think you need. As a pc gamer this hurts me because I see games being cut down so they can be compatible for consuls, in order to sell more.

  • humbikmeamyou

    Posted Jun 11, 2008 11:57 pm PT

    This is capitalism at its best, if you people can’t get your head out of the gutter and realize the world around you is being controlled by corporations, then too bad for you. For example, the US, every politician is in some companies pocket, so why are you so surprised that the rich get richer?

  • siteless_one

    Posted Jun 11, 2008 9:11 am PT

    at least it is not EA

  • cooldude03

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 9:50 pm PT

    Activision looking to merge with the world. Activision is already the biggest publisher. How big does a company have to get before it's a monopoly?

  • uranai

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 2:06 pm PT

    I'm worried about Sierra. If they are going to change organization, that means it will be harder to see a Ceaser IV expansion, or a Pharoih 2...

  • Myzz617

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 1:04 pm PT

    Ea is good for sports and C&C and BF games

    A/B owns the rest

  • Fable_fan88

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 12:39 pm PT

    so i am guessing the 'BIG' gaming companies are Activison Blizzard and EA... I don't like EA, they have some sucky, wasteful money games i have ever bought... i am getting my moneys worth out of CoD4 ( best MFing game of the YEAR!)

    but i can't wait for EA and A-B to battle it out.... we all knwo who is going to win....
    ...
    ...
    ...
    EA and there money... but i will pull for A-B cause they have the best games!

  • GTA4ADWCOD4GAME

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 9:31 am PT

    I dont care about the two becoming one. Just as long as call of duty 5 doesnt suck ass. if it does i will kill the makers. modern warfare was the best online game ever now they are just goin to rune it.

  • acidrain1976

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 9:28 am PT

    Activision Blizzard? Wtf kind of name is that? They can't seriously be considering that name, ROFL.

    Just say it to yourself slowly a few times... "Activision Blizzard", and you'll be like "Wtf?".

    Sorry Blizzard, you guys rock, but please don't let them change the name to that after the merger. LOL.

  • FireboltX

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 8:35 am PT

    Activision Blizzard sounds like a Dr. Evil plan name

  • Panman_Dan

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 7:41 am PT

    Wow all this merging going on, I still remember when these companies had their old logos back in the mid- and late-1990's.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 7:36 am PT

    "The same can't be said for Sierra, which will be folded into Activision's organizational structure." I dont like Sierra's games anyway.

  • skyline7284

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 7:27 am PT

    That sucks for sierra, faster this is over with the better i guess

  • XXMadManVII

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 6:34 am PT

    They only thing about this merger we as gamers will notice will be the logos on the start up screens...

  • ALLoY1717

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 6:18 am PT

    Oh yeah baby, I can't wait to make my Bard Hero class in WoW.
    And as for the name, it has to be Active-Blizzard. That sounds cool.

  • lamplan

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 5:33 am PT

    Will all the new blizzard based games need seperate controllers that won't work with other games? *goes on an internal tirad of the mind*

  • Windblade91

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 5:16 am PT

    Blizzard has always been about quality, i wont be afraid that they will deliver lower quality work. the company itself is driven to give the best experience possible.

  • cyw1988

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 4:24 am PT

    I hope this reduction in competition doesn't hurt the quality of games coming out.. Blizzard has alot on their shoulders this year with the final installment of WoW and Starcraft II coming up... But then again Activision doesn't really produce MMOs and RTS so perhaps this merger would be a good thing. It could give Blizzard an edge over its other rivals. Sadly, Sierra has to go.

  • afrothunda312

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 1:20 am PT

    Actilizzard - great name!

    what about Blizvision?

  • Faephoenix_Eyes

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 12:54 am PT

    it's nice Blizzard has the power to let them hold their own organization structure instead of being taken over by Activision's. I think blizz's workin structure is really well done minus the nubs they hire as GMs for WoW lol, altho some arent.

  • Mortal_Medic

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 12:45 am PT

    And thus there is less competition in the video game industry. What a shame.

  • LordLonewolf777

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 11:41 pm PT

    Downed BT and Hyjal, going for sunwell now(guild has downed the first two bosses, but not me personally). I have been on high ranked arena teams on 2v2 and 5v5.

    I AM getting bored. Raiding is all that is left for me and the only thing that I actually feel like doing in wow now a days.

    As for the "Perfect" wow comment.... LOL
    WoW is far from perfect. FAR. But it rocks and thats all that matters.

    WotLK should get released soon... At least Arena season 4 is coming out soon. Something to look forward too.

  • Pablo620

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 11:38 pm PT

    What Activision needs to do is stop letting Treyarch make CoD games. Let them make all the movie licensed games like Spiderman and that crap

  • Videogameboye

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 10:58 pm PT

    Have you downed Kil'Jaeden and/or do you have top ranked arena teams halosniper52? If not, you have things to work toward. There is no point in blizz rushing out WOTLK as opposed to taking more time to work on it and (hopefully) perfect it.

  • bioghost

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 9:20 pm PT

    I hope better games will be release

  • elvato87

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 8:42 pm PT

    Good thing Blizzard will be unaffected, i love starcraft. I tought that they have already merged

  • halosniper52

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 7:27 pm PT

    "I hope this doesn't affect World of Warcraft, cause that game is perfect as it is."

    Man u must be crazy wow is getting boring they need to spit out the new x-pac already.

  • THE-TRAP-CARD

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 7:02 pm PT

    I hope this doesn't affect World of Warcraft, cause that game is perfect as it is.

  • FAcorp

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 6:44 pm PT

    I hope that this merger doesn't do anything to affect Starcraft 2, and the new Ghostbusters game.

  • GoldenRamoth

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 6:38 pm PT

    well, i hope both companies projects continue, and that the money from the merger makes all the games have more ability and give the more potential with all the extra buying power for good personnel. Well, I hope they realize that potential.

  • zellwood69

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 6:11 pm PT

    Being empolyed with activision this will be a very good thing for everyone and i'm sure everyone will be left to do there magic with no nay sayers

  • VenomRitual

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 5:53 pm PT

    blizzard is in irvine? no way! yes!

  • slickr

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 5:39 pm PT

    I just hope no one touches blizzard and let them work as they've always worked.

  • akiwak

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 5:12 pm PT

    I hope I get to see Starcraft:Ghost come on let Infinity Ward work their majic on this game!!!!

  • SirFrosty

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 5:09 pm PT

    As long as this doesn't negatively affect any of my franchises, then I'm fine xD

  • K_M82

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 4:37 pm PT

    I still prefer if they named it Actilizzard!

  • Fanible

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 4:16 pm PT

    @combatsoldier
    Umm... it's worth is at 19 BILLION - not million.
    Huge difference there. They wouldn't even able to run their business on 19 million. A single game nowadays costs more than that.

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 3:48 pm PT

    This is truly interesting. It seems as if though this is the only way for some of these companies to survive in a world where its kill or be killed. I really could care less about the merger as long as both parties continue to work well together and put out quality products.

  • kos1085

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 3:48 pm PT

    Of course this will go through. What shareholder doesn't like more money.

  • -White_Knight-

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    I could care less..... as long as it has no effect on GH4.

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