Activision/Blizzard all payed up and flying solo

[Androcles]

The software developer Activision Blizzard inc, well known for such titles as World of Warcraft, Diablo and Call of Duty have announced that it has completed a buyback from its parent company Vivendi. Originally due in July the case was put back until friday just gone due to some shareholder objections.

In the deal a total of $8.2 billion of Activision Blizzard shares were purchased back from Vivendi. This was achieved in two transactions, to start with Activision Blizzard themselves payed $5.83 billlion for 493 million of its own shars and then Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and Co-Chairman Brian Kelly bought the final 172 million shares for a cool $2.34 billion, leaving Vivendi with just 83 million shares (12%), meaning that Activision Blizzard inc is now an independant company owned by it's shareholders.

In a press release Activision Blizzards Bobby Kotick stated ...

“With the completion of this transaction we open a new chapter in the history of Activision Blizzard,” Mr. Kotick said in a statement. “We expect immediate shareholder benefits in the form of earnings-per-share accretion and strategic and operational independence. Our audiences and our incredibly talented employees around the world will benefit from a focused commitment to the creation of great games. Our shareholders and debt holders will have the benefit of an energized, invested, deeply committed management team focused on generating long-term, superior returns and effectively managing our capital structure.” Let the great game making begin...

In related news Activision published a series of six Call of Duty: Ghosts advertisements on YouTube this weekend. All of them focus on people in everyday situations talking about the game.

[video=youtube;Mr7x9n-yMmQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr7x9n-yMmQ&list=PLZeek85Kuka1Jx87TF2JH2h48Tg_OIOk7http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr7x9n-yMmQ&list=PLZeek85Kuka1Jx87TF2JH2h48Tg_OIOk7[/video]

Nvidia have leaked a Minimum System Requirements list for the PC version of Call of Duty: Ghosts as follows:
•OS: Windows 7 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit
•CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 2.66 GHZ / AMD Phenom X3 8750 2.4 GHZ or better
•RAM: 6 GB RAM
•HDD: 50 GB HD space
•Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti / ATI Radeon HD 5870 or better
•Sound: DirectX Compatible Sound Card
•DirectX: 11
•Internet: Broadband connection and service required for Multiplayer Connectivity. Internet connection required for activation.

Call of Duty: Ghosts will arrive on PC, PlayStation 3, Wii U and Xbox 360 on 5th November. It is also expected on the Xbox One and PS4 when those consoles launch.

From: http://hexus.net/gaming/news/indust...izzard-complete-multibillion-buyback-vivendi/

 

[rickne]

Vivendi are the route of all evil on a level far beyond EA. This is a great deal.

 

[Deklore]

6GB Ram and HD 5870 as minimum spec?

Either i am behind the times more so than i thought or Activision are BS'ing on their min specs to reflect their new game is not just the same engine rehashed.

 

[Wozza63]

6GB Ram and HD 5870 as minimum spec?

Either i am behind the times more so than i thought or Activision are BS'ing on their min specs to reflect their new game is not just the same engine rehashed.

Perhaps their new engine is very poorly optimized?

Although thinking about it, seeing as this is a port from xb1/ps4 the specs seem about right, and are similar to the power on those machines

 

[LFFPicard]

6GB Ram and HD 5870 as minimum spec?

Either i am behind the times more so than i thought or Activision are BS'ing on their min specs to reflect their new game is not just the same engine rehashed.

I have been telling people for the last 2 years to put more than 4gb of ram in their PC's

No one listened

 

[tom_gr7]

haha those adverts are great...

 

[FelidaeRyl]

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