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Report: Microsoft, Time Warner Vetted As Suitors For Activision Blizzard

News

by Matthew Kato on July 11, 2012 at 08:45 AM

11,996 Views

Vivendi, majority owner of Activision Blizzard, may be looking to sell the video game publisher/developer, and Microsoft and others are being sized up for the sale.

Reuters reports that multiple sources have told it that Vivendi has hired a bank to check out potential suitors for Activision Blizzard. Nothing is official yet, but the report says that Microsoft, Time Warner, and Call of Duty Online's Tencent are being vetted as possible buyers. Again, however, nothing from either side has been confirmed.

The sale of the company would net Vivendi an estimated $10 billion.

One of Reuters' sources speculated that Microsoft might not be interested since it is currently concentrating on the next Xbox home console.

[via Gamespot]

Email the author Matthew Kato, or follow on Twitter, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, Microsoft, activision blizzard, vivendi, Time Warner, tencent

Comments

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by Dawson Wyckoff Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:22 AM

Hmm... If they sold everything i wonder how much the games will change.
by DrBlamo Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:23 AM

Hmm... Microsoft owns Blizzard, console MMOs almost seem certain in the near future. Time Warner owns Blizzard, WOW gets Luny Tunes expansion with epic Batman gear. Tencent owns Blizzard, COD RTS games?
by MUTANTMAN Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:26 AM

Not to sound like a 1950's senator but if Tencent (based in china) takes control of Activision-Blizzard than I refuse to buy any of their games. I don't like my money supporting communists.
by RydogV Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:27 AM

I really hope that Microsoft buys them. Then Call of Duty will become a Microsoft exclusive and PlayStation might finally develop its own contemporary military FPS. Sorry, MAG didn't count :/
by JamesK93 Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:31 AM

Microsoft would be CRAZY not to buy Activision. They'd literally own the console market if they bought them. I'm not a CoD player but even I think it'd be a good idea for Microsoft to own it.
by Ghostpig Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:36 AM

I can't imagine Act/Bliz is hurting in the wallet, so I guess they're selling because they're just tired of waking up every day and not going jetskiing in their man-made Jell-o lake?
by Greg Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:38 AM

Oh boy, obviously if Microsoft buys them out, COD will be exclusive to XBox!! Makes sense for them to buy them I guess. Hopefully not though, cause I occasionally like to play COD every now and again and I'm not looking to buy an XBox of any kind anytime soon!

I would think Sony or Microsoft wouldn't be able to buy them because then they would have a monopoly in the gaming market! Kinda like how AT&T wasn't allowed to buy T-Mobile through the FCC.

Microsoft needs to buy something as they don't have many games going for them! You can't have Sony buying out every studio. Then again, Sony seems to be on a shopping spree lately!
by kmcroc Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:38 AM

Hey MS what are you waiting for, your always stating that you care about the core gamer of your console. here's your chance to show us how much you care about the Xbox gaming core,besides with one swifts signature you can brings us a ton of exclusive games or increase your bottom dollar in profits earned from the buy of this venture.
by GSWarriorsFan Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:39 AM

Don't really care much for any of these. Microsoft, no way. I do all my online gaming on PSN so that I don't have to pay, COD being one of my go-to games. Warner to me still seems like a new player in this game. And yeah, I don't know too much about Tencent to put all my eggs into their basket.
by Marc Flink Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:42 AM

Oh boy!!! TIME WARNER BUY BLIZZARD AND WE WILL GET EPIC HARRY POTTER MMO!!!!! Seriously think about it. It could be crazy epic in the hands of the masters!
by Monty1408 Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:45 AM

Microsoft must buy, its a no brainier. It will be an interesting game future when this sells.
by Rich Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:45 AM

That's some pretty hefty game news surrounding some very large name companies. I wonder why they want to sell though.
by DurableGravy Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 09:55 AM

OH OH I'LL BUY THEM. now where did i put that 10 billion.........
by ruyjin_jakka Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:09 AM

bill gates my friend, this is the time you use those deep pockets of yours...
by Mystt Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:09 AM

Whomever pays $10 billion for Act/Blizzard is taking an interesting risk considering as of yesterday they were worth (all studios combined) 5 billion (according to hoovers.com). So I dunno, 10 seems a little high, like paying someone for no longer owning the team for the next 5 years. On that note, if they could get $10 billion, honestly can't blame them for taking it and walking out.
by Quantum Force Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:10 AM

idc who buys them as long as it isn't microsoft i dont hav a 360 & i play a lot of CoD
by wowfan94 Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:12 AM

Imagine if Nintendo buys them I mean they did make a crap ton of money from the Wii so if they were to buy them they would get CoD and WoW, some of the most successful game series in the world! They said the DS and Wii printed money, well if they get CoD and WoW, they pretty much will be printing money!
by shoreu Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:21 AM

wow on my xbox yus
by AbsoluteDeicide Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 10:41 AM

If anyone buys them the first order of business should be to fire Bobby Kotick. Then maybe they can focus on making the Activision brand something positive.