Comments on: Vivendi buys Activision to create Activision Blizzard http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/ Raph Koster's personal website: MMOs, gaming, writing, art, music, books Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:02:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Republished: Virtual Worlds in the News « Dan’s bloghttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-133871 Republished: Virtual Worlds in the News « Dan’s blog Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:38:51 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-133871 [...] profitable games business”, reports the BBC.  Further coverage includes Raph Koster posting his impressions on the merger,  and this factsheet on the Activision Blizzard website I found particularly informative.  [...]

[...] profitable games business”, reports the BBC.  Further coverage includes Raph Koster posting his impressions on the merger,  and this factsheet on the Activision Blizzard website I found particularly informative.  [...]

]]> By: BlogoWogo - The Blog Network | How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector?http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-131048 BlogoWogo - The Blog Network | How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector? Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:05:54 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-131048 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%-->

[...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]

]]> By: Jimhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130648 Jim Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:34:17 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130648 The main question... what will happen to Blizzard's "when they're done" release schedule for games? Will Activision pick it up, or will Blizzard be forced to abandon it? The main question… what will happen to Blizzard’s “when they’re done” release schedule for games? Will Activision pick it up, or will Blizzard be forced to abandon it?

]]> By: How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector? · New York Articleshttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130463 How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector? · New York Articles Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:38:00 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130463 [...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]

[...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]

]]> By: Blizzard Activision - - -http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130454 Blizzard Activision - - - Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:54:37 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130454

[...] (, “ ”, [...]

]]> By: How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector? - GigaOMhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130452 How Will Activision Blizzard Change Games Sector? - GigaOM Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:17:13 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130452 [...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]

[...] that EA seems to be moving towards global media concerns while Activision (ATVI) has been “doubling down on traditional gaming.” It will be interesting to see if EA starts eyeing music, TV, film, and other entertainment [...]

]]> By: Morgan Ramsayhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130450 Morgan Ramsay Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:53:31 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130450 <blockquote>I still don’t think that means Blizzard’s already established franchises will suffer.</blockquote> The effects of branding are retroactive. <blockquote>unless Blizzard employees have enough clout to protest against it, which they very well may</blockquote> If you're talking about clout at the negotiating table, I hope they do. But these decisions typically rest in the hands of the parent company's communications department. What usually happens is that department will insist on the wrong decisions because they sold themselves on the strange idea that brand identity guidelines and brand architecture were never to be violated.

I still don’t think that means Blizzard’s already established franchises will suffer.

The effects of branding are retroactive.

unless Blizzard employees have enough clout to protest against it, which they very well may

If you’re talking about clout at the negotiating table, I hope they do. But these decisions typically rest in the hands of the parent company’s communications department. What usually happens is that department will insist on the wrong decisions because they sold themselves on the strange idea that brand identity guidelines and brand architecture were never to be violated.

]]> By: Michael W.http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130443 Michael W. Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:45:47 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130443 I see what you are saying. Blizzard's name will become meaningless if the Activision side of things slaps Blizzard's name on everything (and I tend to agree that this will probably happen unless Blizzard employees have enough clout to protest against it, which they very well may) I still don't think that means Blizzard’s already established franchises will suffer. The Legacy and prestige of Blizzard will still exist within the Diablo, Starcraft, and Warcraft names -unless of course they let Activsion start making titles using their IP’s such as: “Barbie’s Magic Space Pets: My First Zergling!” I see what you are saying. Blizzard’s name will become meaningless if the Activision side of things slaps Blizzard’s name on everything (and I tend to agree that this will probably happen unless Blizzard employees have enough clout to protest against it, which they very well may)

I still don’t think that means Blizzard’s already established franchises will suffer. The Legacy and prestige of Blizzard will still exist within the Diablo, Starcraft, and Warcraft names -unless of course they let Activsion start making titles using their IP’s such as: “Barbie’s Magic Space Pets: My First Zergling!”

]]> By: Raphhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130439 Raph Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:38:50 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130439 Steve, Michael -- the reason to worry about tarnishing of the brand is that now everything that Activision and Vivendi make will say "Activision Blizzard" on it. So now we have Guitar Hero III, from Activision Blizzard, and so on. Obviously, GH3 isn't going to tarnish much of anything, but it certainly dilutes the name "Blizzard" to mean something more than it used to. And when you add in all the licensed titles and the like that will be published by Activision Blizzard, it's potentially a serious impact to the Blizzard name. A lot depends on how they actually go about branding the publishing entity, with logos and splash screens etc. Steve, Michael — the reason to worry about tarnishing of the brand is that now everything that Activision and Vivendi make will say “Activision Blizzard” on it. So now we have Guitar Hero III, from Activision Blizzard, and so on. Obviously, GH3 isn’t going to tarnish much of anything, but it certainly dilutes the name “Blizzard” to mean something more than it used to. And when you add in all the licensed titles and the like that will be published by Activision Blizzard, it’s potentially a serious impact to the Blizzard name. A lot depends on how they actually go about branding the publishing entity, with logos and splash screens etc.

]]> By: Erik Bethkehttp://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/comment-page-1/#comment-130437 Erik Bethke Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:25:47 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/02/vivendi-buys-activision-to-create-activision-blizzard/#comment-130437 Wow that explains why Activision did not respond to EA's 20% purchases of The9 and Neowiz. Still EA has plenty of cards in its deck to repair that revenue fall besides the Ubi purchase... -Erik Wow that explains why Activision did not respond to EA’s 20% purchases of The9 and Neowiz.

Still EA has plenty of cards in its deck to repair that revenue fall besides the Ubi purchase…

-Erik

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