Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
Activision/Blizzard Merger Shows Video Game Industry Challenges
Activision Inc. had three of the top-10 video games in 2007 and over $1 billion in revenue. But it didn't have a big title in the fast-growing multiplayer online gaming market. It could only envy the leader, World of Warcraft, which boasts upward of 10 million subscribers spending $15 a month to play against each other in a scary gothic fantasyland populated with dwarves, gnomes, night elves and, of course, the undead.
In late 2007, Activision CEO Robert Kotick, the jolly-looking entrepreneur known as one of the smartest and toughest in the business, approached Vivendi Games, which published World of Warcraft through its subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment Inc. Kotick made an offer for Blizzard, but Vivendi countered by suggesting that the two companies merge ' with Kotick at the helm. The merger, which was completed in July 2008, created a publicly traded company, Activision Blizzard Inc., that is the most impressive video game business in the world ' running neck-and-neck in revenues with longtime leader Electronic Arts Inc. ' and surpassing it in profits. “Vivendi acquired a [60%] controlling interest in the new company,” says Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, “for the sole purpose of getting Activision management to run the business.”
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
- Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
- Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment
On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.