14 DAY TRIAL // Activision Blizzard is announcing the future of the Vivendi Games properties that it has acquired as part of the merger process. The new company is expected to keep some of the most successful franchises and to spin off or terminate other intellectual properties.
The most interesting assets for Activision Blizzard are Crash Bandicoot, which has generated impressive sales in the United States, of more than 35 million units, Ice Age and Spyro. The company believes that these franchises have big appeal and can be further developed.
Mike Griffith, Chief Executive Officer of Activision Publishing, stated that "Four of the five properties that we are keeping will be wholly owned properties that further bolster our strong brand portfolio. We are very excited to add such recognizable and successful brands as Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro, which reinforce our leadership position in movie-based and family entertainment video games."
It seems that one of the most interesting games coming up under the Sierra label will also be retained by the new company. Prototype, which features an open world which you can explore, while presenting a hero with shape-shifting abilities, is in the late stages of development and might be released in late 2008 or early 2009. There were rumors that the game would be abandoned or offered to another publisher following the Vivendi Activision merger.
Some of the Sierra studios are also due for a review and a couple of them might be disbanded. Griffith says that "We are focused on improving efficiency across the combined organization and are concentrating on businesses where we have leadership positions that are aligned with Activision Publishing's long-term corporate objectives."
Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online have been found to be non-strategic, which basically means expendable, and are slated to be sold, should any interesting offers come from third parties.