Microsoft To Buy Vivendi?

Story is over at computerandvideogames.com I can't link to the story. Just hit news when you go to the main page. keep in mind that the computer and video games site has kind of iffy credability. 30% of the time they are proven wrong, so take this with a grain of salt. Is this one of the times that their actualy right?

>>>If insider speculation is to be believed, Microsoft has bought US publisher Vivendi, with an announcement to that effect due soon. Take a deep breath and reflect on the implications of that, if true.
Half-Life 2, Warcraft, Counter-Strike, Crash, Spyro, Lord of the Rings... Vivendi has an enormous portfolio boasting some of the biggest titles on all formats, and it would be an ultra-smart move on Microsoft's part to snap them up. Such a buyout, of course, would come at a terrifically high price, making the 365 million acquisition of Rare look like peanuts. But if anyone has the necessary funds, it's Microsoft.

Rumours regarding potential buyout targets for Microsoft are nothing new, of course, and have been spreading for months, with the likes of Sega and Capcom both mentioned in dispatches. However, talk of the Microsoft/Vivendi deal seems far more serious, with one insider suggesting the buyout could be confirmed as early as Friday.<<<

After the M$ purchase of Rare this could be possible and we've all seen how serious M$ is with the gaming industry. This purchase would be a nice addition to MS Games not to mention their console efforts. Even though they have the cash I'm not to sure if they will be willing to buy it all up though.

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that would be a great pickup for M$ to have inhouse. VIVA LA M$

 

Hmmm, as long as they leave Blizzard alone.

 

Is blizzard making a rpg exclusive for the xbox?

 

They're making Starcraft Ghost for Xbox, it's not an RPG though.

 

Is it a fps?

 

Uh... the article mentioned Warcraft... maybe I am stupid and confused, but isn't that series developed and published by Blizzard?

 

It's a 3rd Person shooter yoda.

 

Starcraft Ghost is not exclusive to the Xbox.

I should clarify my earlier comment about leaving Blizzard alone. I mean that Microsoft should do what Vivendi has done and just let Blizzard do its own thing. It seems to be doing rather well.

 

Blizzard and Blizzard North are wholly owned subsidiaries of Vivendi Universal, as is Sierra and a couple other development/publishing companies.

I won't mind Blizz being owned by MSFT, so long as the Diablo series stays on the PC primarily. I love my Xbox, but I love Diablo so much more, and a console just seems like the wrong platform for it.

 

Starcraft Ghost

Now if this deal does happen it is possible that Mircosoft might cancel the PS2 and Gamecube versions and make it Xbox exclusive. This would also give M$ control over other console game franchises. As was listed in that article that means Crash and Spyro would now be in the hands of Microsoft. And the PS2 port of Malice might end up being scrapped.

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I saw this on geek.com a few days ago too, so it's probably pretty reliable.

Boy, that would suck to have all those games suddenly become XBox exclusives. Looks like MS is just doing business as usual. If you can't get enough good content, buy up the developers and make the product exclusive.

 

You know, there's a little article in the latest OXBM about the possibility of Half-Life 2 becoming an Xbox exclusive. And then this story comes along. You don't think one thing has to do with the other, eh?

 

Personaly I'm getting sick of Microsoft buying out all the 3rd party developers.

 

Here here, I'm absolutely disgusted in Microsoft buying the developers. I was P!$$&@ off when Microsoft bought Rare and that Anger has now gotten more unstable as I learn of this news. It makes me sick, Bill Gates is going world domination and soon it seems that noone can stop him if he keeps buying off competition and that we can't let that happen

Is there anything we can do to stop him? It seems Nintendo and Sony are the only ones in his way of total domination, Hopefully they can stop this madness.

 

well actually Bill Gates is doing nothing in terms of the Xbox, and the fact is he's losing money off of it, not gaining it.

And normally I'd feel sympathy with you when a game company is bought out, especially a good one like Vivendi, but the fact is it's going to be a plus for Xbox so i'm stoked.

 

I was P!$$&@ off when Microsoft bought Rare

But it's okay when Nintendo buys them? All three do this, it's just that MS is going for the larger small developers.

And considering MS is still creating games and peripherals for the PC I have no doubts that the PC will be well taken care of if this buyout takes place. After all they have an OS to support as well. I imagine the only ones to suffer will be Sony and Nintendo, but since I own the box it's all good. But we'll see, as rumors are just rumors.

 

Corellian_Outrider, I'm sorry but that was just a misinformed rant. Sony has done this in the past and so has Nintendo. And remember it takes two to tango, Nintendo didn't have to sell Rare. Vivendi is financially in trouble, thats the whole reason all these talks started in the first place. It's not like they where approached by M$ out of the blue. I wouldn't be surprized if Sony didn't try to get in on Vivendi's finacial woes and put in a bid. Just remember at this stage of the game it's still just a rumor.

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Microsoft can and will demand of its Vivendi assets exclusivity or first-run builds for the Xbox, of games traditionaly developed as such on the PC, if it will make them more money. This depends entirely on their short/long term business strategies of which none of us are aware.

Still, I see a buyout by M$ being potentially more harmful to PC platformers than anyone else. If anything, this rumoured purchase by them increases the probability that some traditionally choice titles for the PC will be forced to continue their lives or serve time, inexorably altered, in in the land of consoles. That's what happens when a company whose subsidaries publish primarily for the PC, like Vivendi, comes under control of a company with their fingers in both console and PC pies, like Microsoft.

Whether certain shake-ups happen or not after a purchase of Vivendi, it's the PC gamers who stand to lose.

 

It is possible that Microsoft might limit Vivendi to only being X-Box exclusive. But in the end they would actually be losing money in some sense since Microsoft isnt really competeing with PC only with PS2 and GCN so telling them they cant PC games would cut down big on there customers.
Not a very good business practice if u ask me.

 

Mr. Burt Bacharach, long time no see. Good to see you around.

Did anybody check out this article from VE3D?

It's being developed for both the Xbox and PC. Interesting because it isn't being developed for other consoles as most other MoH games are put on all consoles. Certainly not a sure-fire thing to prove this rumor true, nor a certain way to predict how MS/Vivendi will deal with Xbox and PC ports, but interesting nonetheless.

 

Sony and Nintendo used to be partners until Sony broke off the contract and made Playstation 1

 

CO they weren't partners. Nintendo commissioned Sony to make the DD drive but in the end Nintendo was unhappy with Sony and pulled out. Sony, who spent alot of money in R&D developing the drive for Nintendo then decided to turn the DD drive into the PS1. Just to clear up how the chain of events went.

Still, I see a buyout by M$ being potentially more harmful to PC platformers than anyone else

As opposed to Sony (who is also in talks to buy)? Both MS and Sony have PC gaming divisions, and unlike Nintendo, both have allowed their more successful exclusives go on the PC, but MS has more of a vested interest in keeping PC users happy (it is their OS afterall). While I like consoles, I also like PC gaming and having to choose between the two I think MS would benefit gamers more than Sony. I don't dillude myself into thinking that if Sony bought them that they'd force all the games on the PS2-3, 4, etc but I think the ratio might be higher.

 

Hmmm.. the plot thickens. This time it's Reuters commenting on this.

More on Vivendi.

>>>LOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Investment bank Investec said on Friday that it believed Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - News) was in talks with French media conglomerate Vivendi Universal (NYSE:V - News) about buying Vivendi's video game business for as much as $2 billion.<<<

>>>Jeff Van Rhee, Investec's director of enterprise software research, told Reuters he had received indications a deal was in the works. "There was some pretty actionable data that said something had just happened and things were heating up pretty quickly," he said.<<<

They even mention that Sony was part of the preliminary conversations in mid december.

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I think MS would benefit gamers more than Sony

I completely agree; M$ is the lesser of two evils for this buyout when PC Gaming's welfare is concerned.

You've misinterpruted the meaning of my previously quoted statement, though. "anyone else" refered to other gamers, not corporations. I was not comparing Microsoft's buyout ramifications to that of another company's. My statement was made wih the assumption that M$ would indeed claim the PC Gaming jewel that is Vivendi.

While a M$ buyout is better for PC Gamers than one from any other console company, the end result of their purchase is still bad for PC Gamers. Any way you slice it, the possibility that PC exclusives or first-run builds will go console increases. Whether the buyer realizes the fears of PC hardcores or not, the threat to PCGs looms larger than it would otherwise if Vivendi could be left to its own devices.