Ludicidal Tendencies

Here is a huge announcement from today's Hollywood Reporter online:

Activision Inc. and Vivendi's Vivendi Games will merge in a multi-step deal that will create Activision Blizzard, a new gaming giant with what would be a combined 2007 calendar year revenue of $3.8 billion. Executives said the combination would make the new player the largest and most profitable gaming company.

After the transaction, whose overall value the companies put at $18.9 billion, French entertainment and telecom conglomerate Vivendi, the parent of Vivendi Games, will own 52% of the new entity. It is set to boost that to 68% under a planned share tender offer.

The new company's name comes from Vivendi Games label Blizzard Entertainment, which produces "World of Warcraft," the world's biggest multi-player online role-playing game with more than 9.3 million subscribers worldwide. The companies said the deal will shine a spotlight on the value of "Warcraft" and Vivendi's overall gaming operations, which also include such popular titles as "Spyro" and "Crash Bandicoot" but are currently hidden in the larger conglomerate structure of Vivendi.