Activision's merger with Vivendi will shake gaming biz2009-09-22 00:00:00NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Let the games begin.
Activision Inc shareholders Tuesday are expected to approve a merger with Vivendi Games that will allow the deal to close within days and create a new top dog in the fast-growing video gaming world.
The terms of the deal, unveiled in December, valued the new Activision Blizzard at $18.9 billion. Current gaming king Electronic Arts Inc's' market capitalization after Monday's market close stood at $14.1 billion, according to Yahoo Finance.
More important for Wall Street, while EA has been reporting losses, Activision Blizzard, of which Vivendi will own a slight majority, has promised to be the most profitable gaming firm and grow its bottom line at a healthy pace.
"I don't care about who is No. 1 and 2," Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst said. "Earnings growth is what counts for investors."
Activision Blizzard is positioned to ensure that growth as it brings together some of the hottest gaming franchises, such as Vivendi's massively multiplayer online juggernaut "World of Warcraft" and Activision's "Guitar Hero." Analysts say it also allows the respected Activision sales and marketing machine to tap into Asia, where V...
Guide to Stamina Food Buffs in World of Warcraft (WoW)2009-09-07 00:00:00The flames shot high into the night sky, casting a vibrant glow onto the tiny elfin village. The blood was everywhere.
"Run! Get out everyone!" A male elder cried out to the other.
They had never expected on such a calm and beautiful spring night that the undead would attack. They had come from afar and managed to enter their domain.
Through all of the chaos, a young girl hid quietly under a wooden desk in the arms of her protective mother. Their only hope was that the small group of warriors in the village would be able to defeat the attackers; one of these warriors - the young girls father.
Within minutes, the sounds ...
