Today in the world of money, gaming powerhouse Activision Blizzard has announced plans to buy itself from parent company Vivendi Universal in a two-part stock deal. When the dust settles, almost $8.2 billion of stock will have changed hands, leaving Activision Blizzard free to go its own way. We kinda suspect the new company will do OK.
Activision itself is purchasing some 429 million shares of the company back from owner Vivendi Universal, while another 172 million shares will be owned by newly minted investors group ASAC II. Among ASAC II’s many members — including Chinese gaming concern Tencent — are current Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kottick and co-chairman Brian Kelly, who reportedly thew a combined $100 million of their own cash behind the buyout. Kottick and Kelly will reportedly be named CEO and chairman of a newly independent Activision Blizzard when that company takes shape.
The move is the culmination of almost a year of rumors that Vivendi was looking to offload the properties after merging with Activision in 2008. An investor call is scheduled for later today, and we should know more about the future plans for an independent Activision Blizzard, which we can assume include acquiring a license to print money and, eventually, world domination.
First thing first, though — let’s get our biggest new indie developer to toss some games into the next Humble Bundle. That’s how this works, right?
(via Polygon)
- I mean, I guess they’ve got a couple big titles in their stable
- You know, if you’re into long awaited, best-selling gamesÂ
- A company so powerful, they can kick North Korea right off of YouTube
