Activision and Vivendi Games merge

Development and publishing giant Activision are to merge with Vivendi Games, making them the largest independent video game publisher.

The new company, Activision Blizzard, own some of the biggest PC and console game franchises on the market including series’ like World of Warcraft, Tony Hawks, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon and Starcraft.

Both companies being industry leaders in their own right, Activision Blizzard now has a huge influence over PC, console and MMO markets. Something rarely seen, as Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision explains.

“By combining leaders in mass-market entertainment and subscription-based online games, Activision Blizzard will be the only publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry and reach the broadest possible audiences,”

Concerning e-sports this is also somewhat of a change. Activision Blizzard now own or publish Counter-Strike, Warcraft, Starcraft, Call of Duty, Team Fortress and Day of Defeat.

Could this be the beginning of console and PC gamers battling side by side in the World of Warcraft?