Activision Blizzard….WTF!
So much news going on around Blizzard this month. I know I am no where near the first or last blogger to blog about this merger between Activision and Blizzard. I really had to take some time to get my head around this merger.
Of course, everyone is like it’s no big deal…nothing will change. I really don’t believe that at all because nothing can’t stay the same forever and anytime you put two companies together changes are going to happen. The good, the bad, and the ugly will happen from this. I might be overreacting a little bit which I hope I am. When I first read the news I got a sinking feeling in my stomach, you know that feeling that happens right before you are in a car accident…yeah, that kind of feeling.
I’ve been playing (addicted) to Blizzard games since the good old Warcraft 2 days and haven’t stopped since. Some say that’s good, others say that’s bad but that’s for a different post. 
I just feel like the end of a great era of Blizzard is coming, who knows. I just don’t see this merger as good…what do you think?
December 19th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Is it true that Activision and Blizzard are going to merge? i guess its going to be bad news for us
December 19th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Yeah, Blizzard games have always had their own “flavor”… The question is, is this like Pepsi buying 7up, where the flavors say distinct and different, or is this like Mercedes buying Chrysler, and the Chryslers start to look more like Mercedes.
My bet is that there are one or two people who hold the gold-dust for Blizzard. Maybe we don’t know who those two people are or maybe we do, but it’s really their heroic influence that has made these games great. If that person or if those people don’t exist or get shoved aside or eaten up.
Oh man, I’m really getting worked up about this. I’m going to have a cup of water and do my deep-breathing exercies.
December 22nd, 2007 at 2:10 am
Yes, Blizzard and Activision have announced an $18.8bn merger.
Activision’s CEO, Bobby Kotick, will become the head of the joint company, while Vivendi, Blizzard’s current parent company, will become the largest single investor in the new group.
As part of the merger plan, Blizzard will invest $2bn in the new company, while Activision is putting up $1bn. The merged business will be called Activision Blizzard and Vivendi will be the biggest shareholder in the group.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:40 am
If the merger means that Blizz are finally forced to offer solid customer support, then I think it will be a good thing.
To be honest, I don’t think Activision are going to push their influence too hard on Blizzard regarding game-play, because it’s obvious they have a winning formula, but I think we’re going to find that they push to increase profits and bring even more players to the game - and that could be to the detriment of all players.
We’re reaching a point now, too, where it’s going to take an awful long time to level up to maximum, and with the nerfing of lvl 20-60 implemented in the last patch, you feel like you’re just going through the motions. Are people going to think “what’s the point”?
If they nerf 60-70 when lvl 80 comes, that means a huge portion of the game is almost without challenge.
I gave up the game a few days ago, after having a good old think about my life and realising that the game just wasn’t doing me any good. I was in SSC and TK, within sniffing distance of Hyjal and Black Temple, but I thought… it’s not going to stop, and what is all the effort for?