140°

Vivendi still looking to sale Activision Blizzard; Sony not interested, Microsoft haggling price

IncGamers: Media powerhouse Vivendi is still looking to get rid of its majority €8 billion stake in Activision Blizzard, a “credible source” claims.

Said source has claims that a Vivendi sales of Activision Blizzard still “absolutely remains under consideration”, despite Vivendi’s finance director saying last week that a break up of the company was out of the question.

News first arose of Vivendi’s plans to sale Activision Blizzard this past July, when a price tag of €10 billion was touted.

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incgamers.com
TheMasterShake4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

sony if i were you i'd try to buy out the spyro and crash IP's from activision through vivendi. best do it now since vivendi is trying to sell blizzard Activision off.

CalvinKlein4264d ago

they would probably not be able to afford the price as Im sure activision would want tons of money for spyro since skylanders is huge at selling plastic junk to children for 10-15$ a pop. Its like COD DLC but for children who are to young to know they are being ripped off. They buy some characters and its suddenly a 120$ game they are playing. Way more profitable then waiting for the sequels to make the next 60$ from the series, especially when the sequel comes out a year later anyways with its own DLC.

I dont think Activision would sell that for cheap.

xX-StolenSoul-Xx4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

Honestly suprised Sony does not want to buy it. Just for Billzard's WOW Itself I thought SOE was a huge player in the mmo industry they could take over wow.

Having all of activisions library would be also good especially taking back some of its old first party titles like crash

TCG_Returns4264d ago

8 billion is a lot of money to spend on something.Would you risk that kind of money, even when the longtime shareholders seem so eager to be rid of them?

I wouldn't.

gaffyh4264d ago

Even if it's 8 Billion I'm sure any company who buys them will more than make their money back on COD and WoW (guaranteed money) and all the other titles. Not much of a risk if you look at it that way.

nukeitall4264d ago

@xX-StolenSoul-Xx:

"Honestly suprised Sony does not want to buy it. Just for Billzard's WOW Itself I thought SOE was a huge player in the mmo industry they could take over wow."

Sony can't afford it. Activision Blizzard is worth 14% more than Sony at the moment. In fact, Activision Blizzard has no debt while Sony has plenty of debt.

So there is almost no way Sony could buy *half* of Activision Blizzard even if they wanted to because of their own business situation. At least not without huge loan and huge risk.

Outside_ofthe_Box4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

It seems like a no brainer to go out and buy Activision Blizzard, but 8 billion is a lot so it is no surprise Sony isn't interested.

It would be interesting if Microsoft picks up Activision. Seeing Spyro and Crash exclusive to Xbox would be something you wouldn't think of in a million years, now there is an actual possibility for that to happen.

papashango4264d ago

its actually not a really good investment and this is why Vivendi is looking to sell. Right now is the perfect to sell before we begin to see the beginning of the end. I'll give my opinion

1. I will bet anything they want to sell before November We will see how much marketshare the CoD franchise has lost by the end of the year. Blackops topped 25 mil, MW3 is still in the teens. I'm gonna guess BO2 doesn't break 10 million. still impressive yes but if you're a shareholder you are NOT happy. I can guarantee you CoD becomes Rainbow Six next-gen. Short term it'll make you money but this franchise is done.

2. I guarantee they want to sell at a price that will have you depending on the revenue of WoW for at least 5-10 years. Would you bet everything on a game that's losing subscribers? It's a war of attrition right now. Does anyone really believe WoW will be on top 10 years from now?

Vivendi is simply trying to maximize profits before the inevitable demise.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4264d ago
sway_z4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

I think I could live without those two franchises.... Two fairly good games from a by gone era....Truthfully, I'm not really a platformer.

*PSN titles only? ....maybe.

koehler834264d ago

It's true, but it would makes sense for Sony by reducing complications anytime they want to go back and revisit the IPs, in the way they're currently doing with All-Stars.

Also, Spyro is worth a fortune right now.

CalvinKlein4264d ago

well thats the problem. THey cant spend that much money just to maybe make some game that probably wouldnt even sell very good. If they did buy spyro/crash back they would HAVE to start pumping out skylanders games in order to make their money back and that really isnt what we would want them to do with the ips.

They couldnt spend all that money and then make some platform games that probably wouldnt sell good.

HebrewHammer4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

Seems like a waste of money to me. Instead of spend an arm and a leg to buy up Activision just for Crash and Spyro, why not devote resources to already owned franchises of a similar calibur, like R&C, Sly, and J&D?

Also, Sony has made some of the most compelling new IP this gen - why the need to buy old ones when they are more than capable of revolutionizing with new?

And we seem to be forgetting that Sony saw one of their steepest share drops in some time, but we're endorsing they toss 10 Billion at Acti/Blizz?

Please.

It's being sold for good reason. The company is volatile. The CoD bubble won't burst, but it will be surpassed by others nex-gen. MMO's are going FTP, WoW will soon follow suit by the end of 2013. And Diablo III pissed a lot of people off.

I'd stay away from it too.

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

Buying activition is to risky for sony right now. If ms buys them then game over. I don't like xbox though.

As for pc gamers they hate MS for good reason. Might see Bizzard kinect game maybe. Diablo 4 will have xbox menu on pc version.

There is no company that is as anti pc gaming as MS. Even origin/EA is better than them.

I wish valve had the cash to buy acti.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4264d ago
iamironman4264d ago

perhaps is someone else took over they'd actually make some interesting games? rather than just releasing sequels to the same few over and over again.

Lvl_up_gamer4264d ago

Like Resistance, Uncharted, GT, God of War, Ratchet & Clank....etc.

Why stop pumping out IP's that actually sell to a consumer base that actually like them....heaven forbid.

MrBeatdown4264d ago (Edited 4264d ago )

He says something about Activision, a company that is notorious for pumping out sequel after sequel, to the point that it completely ruins and kills all interest in once great franchises, and seemingly gives new IPs the lowest priority of any publisher out there, and your first thought is to jump on Sony?

tehpees34264d ago

Well Sony really can't afford it and Microsoft seem sure they have activision's bias for years to come yet.

CraigyScotsman4264d ago

Even though Sony is bleeding money at the moment, they still have over 13 TRILLION Yen in assets ($166 billion). So I'm pretty sure they can afford to buy Activision. They just don't want it.

Swiggins4264d ago

What a magical world you seem to live in...

StayStatic4264d ago

Hopefully blizzard gets back their second half of the companies shares and splits leaving only bobbyvision.

KMCROC544264d ago

Microsoft owning Call of Duty and World of Warcraft & a few other IP's would be interesting.

sway_z4264d ago

Sorry to disappoint...but even if MS took the deal....I seriously doubt WOW would ever make it to 360....maybe it's successor, but even then....

and don't MS already own COD (lol) Jokes aside.....COD would suck even more if it was exclusive to MS...just 'cos.

KMCROC544264d ago

Never said anything about exclusivity on those two games, but exclusivity on the less stellar IPS intergrated w/ kinect features. that's where my thoughts were heading

Lvl_up_gamer4264d ago

He didn't say anything about being on the 360 exclusively. WOW could still stay on the PC only, but Diablo could see it's way to the 360 exclusivly....COD could be an exclusive. This could help push more consoles, either 360's or 720's out the door and into consumers homes.

cloud 2794264d ago

to lvl_up_gamer

Buying Blizzard for MS would be not smart, knowing they take forever with releasing their games. If Blizzard started work on Diablo for the next Xbox, it wouldn't release until Xbox 4 was close to announcement. So ponying up 8 billion for Blizzard isn't worth it, maybe I'm wrong and they work on a new IP which is based around consoles architecture. COD which is a fan favorite currently could also change in the future and be on the way down. Currently the only profitability in owning Acti-Blizz is for short term only. Currently I don't see a future for MS to buyout Acti-Blizz. This could change with the new leadership MS will be bringing if they buy them out.

supraking9514264d ago

that stupid thought would be awesome imo. Id love Microsoft to ruin those franchises just like they did with Rare and all of its games.

KMCROC544264d ago

Ruin what games ,they will keep the money maker making profit like they do now.
Rare was crap, top guys had gone elsewhere nothing left but a modest group remained.
The Rare purchase was more of an investment in IP's. as for the non stellar games that A/B has they can be rejuvenated w/ some kinect features .

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210°

More Job Losses At Xbox, “There’s More To Come”: Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott in a recent episode commented on the on-going Microsoft fiasco hinting at more job losses and that "there's more to come".

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spieltimes.com
Sonic18818h ago(Edited 8h ago)

There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future . Xbox has to pay Microsoft back. It might take two decades to do that.

sagapo4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

I don’t understand what you’re saying. Xbox IS microsoft so there’s no “paying back “.
And MS gross profit in 2023 was over 140 billion dollars so forget your 2 decades.

Unless you mean the money MS invested in Xbox (acquisitions included) and the time it will take for xbox as a brand to gain that money back on it’s own, then yeah, that could take a while.

SonyStyled4h ago

“There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future”

No bro, there do be is for Microsoft not acquiring for what is now if not what it be is 😂

Ms3tjt2h ago

“ Xbox has to pay Microsoft back. ”

Aka

“I don’t know how business works”

Domkakop40m ago

You might need to take a good hard look in the mirror

Ms3tjt38m ago

Yeah I forgot Xbox is separate from Microsoft and Xbox borrowed the 69bn from Microsoft, and Microsoft didn’t get COD, Candy crush etc in return 😂😂👏

jwillj2k47h ago

There really needs to be a class action lawsuit here. You buy these companies just to put people out of jobs. And it’s not like something happened to derail their plans this WAS the plan. Microsoft has no business in this space at all.

franwex7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

Microsoft has been doing this for years. They simply want the IPs. Look at Nokia. Look at Skype. This time it simply expanded to games. Gaming is not as important to Microsoft’s executives as it was to the founders too. Bill Gates was willing to sell the og Xbox at a loss. Steve Balmer approved the red ring of death fiasco. This CEO isn’t really a gamer.

-Foxtrot6h ago

Maybe it's time though to put a stop to it and use a big giant like Microsoft as a huge example to the rest of these big companies.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere.

People like the FTC and the like went against Microsoft yet their Actvision deal was still allowed to go through yet look what's happened...it's not even Acitivisions studios aswell, it's Bethesdas.

RNTody7h ago

Ninja Theory, Perfect Dark, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Wolfenstein 3, Dishonored, Prey, Doom, Quake... something tells me that bad things are going to happen to these entities under Microsoft.

anast6h ago

Good thing the bosses of all those small studios made their money.

glenn19795h ago

they cant do it right now they will get burned

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90°

Microsoft Opening Xbox Mobile Game Store in July

The Xbox brand is expanding, as an Xbox mobile game store is opening this coming July where Microsoft will brings its "first-party portfolio."

Jin_Sakai1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

“Bond adds that they will start on the web”

This will go nowhere.

Nice knowing you Xbox. This is what happens when the house never gets cleaned.

MrDead1d 21h ago

The only this MS is expanding is the amount of feculence it sprays on everyone who just want to enjoy gaming and make games.

The best thing MS can do for the gaming industry is leave and never return.

XiNatsuDragnel1d 19h ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

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210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

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eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow2d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1821d 7h ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie22h ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow21h ago(Edited 21h ago)

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

16h ago
Hereandthere13h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 13h ago
Notellin18h ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

16h ago
Hereandthere12h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Hereandthere13h ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

OtterX1d 10h ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

RNTody1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno1d 9h ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Sheppard7t31d 7h ago

How did Sony kill the series?

Inverno1d 7h ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

16h ago
fsfsxii18h ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno16h ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

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