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Vorlage:Use American English Vorlage:Use mdy dates Vorlage:Infobox company

Vivendi Games was an American video game publisher and holding company based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1996 as CUC Software, the publishing subsidiary of CUC International, after the latter acquired video game companies Davidson & Associates and Sierra On-Line. Between 1997 and 2001, the company switched parents and names multiple times before ending up organized under Vivendi Universal (later renamed Vivendi). In July 2008, Vivendi Games merged with Activision to create Activision Blizzard.

On February 21, 1996, CUC International announced its intention to acquire Davidson & Associates (including Blizzard Entertainment) and Sierra On-Line, two American video game companies, in a Vorlage:US$ stock swap.[1] The deal closed on July 24, 1996.[2] CUC International previously only operated membership shopping clubs, wherefore analysts were surprised by the company's move into the software industry.[1] Subsequently following the acquisitions, CUC International established CUC Software around the Torrance, California-based operations of Davidson & Associates to oversee the new video game properties.[3] Under that new umbrella, both Davidson & Associates and Sierra On-Line would act independently from CUC International.[4] Bod Davidson, co-founder of Davidson & Associates, became chairman and chief executive of the new establishment.[5] On November 5 that year, CUC International announced that they would additionally acquire Knowledge Adventure, another developer, in a stock deal valued between Vorlage:US$ and Vorlage:US$.[5] The acquisition was completed on February 3, 1997.[3] On February 10, Davidson announced that he had stepped down from his positions at CUC Software, and that his wife, Jan, ceased as president of Davidson & Associates, while both Davidsons stayed on CUC International's board of directors.[3] Christopher McLeod, an executive vice-president for CUC International, took over CUC Software in Bob Davidson's place.[3] In April 1997, CUC International acquired Berkeley Systems for an undisclosed sum.[6]

On May 28, 1997, CUC International announced plans to merge with Hospitality Franchise Systems to create a single, "one-stop" entity.[7][8] The merger was finalized in December that year and created Cendant.[9] As a result of the merger, CUC Software was renamed Cendant Software.[10] On November 20, 1998, French media company Havas announced that it would acquire Cendant Software for Vorlage:US$ in cash and up to Vorlage:US$ contingent on the performance of Cendant Software.[11][12] Subsequently, the division was renamed Havas Interactive.[13] On May 16, 2001, Havas Interactive was renamed Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing, while its direct parent, Havas, became Vivendi Universal Publishing.[14] Under the new name, the company was split into two parts: Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing North America and Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing International, both of which took responsibility for their respective publishing regions.[14] On November 13, 2001, both parts were streamlined under the name Vivendi Universal Games.[15] When Vivendi Universal sold all of its media operations to General Electric in October 2003, Vivendi Universal held on to Vivendi Universal Games, which was re-organized as a direct division of the conglomerate.[16] On March 3, 2006, Vivendi Universal announced they would be dropping the "Universal" part of their name[17] The same day, the company opened a mobile games division known as Vivendi Universal Games Mobile.[18]

In December 2007, American publisher Activision announced a proposed merger deal with Vivendi Games that would create a new holding company named Activision Blizzard.[19][20] The deal was approved by Activision's shareholders on July 8, 2008,[20] and the merger was finalized on July 10, creating Activision Blizzard while dissolving Vivendi Games.[21] Bruce Hack, who served as chief executive officer of Vivendi Games, became vice-chairman and chief corporate officer of the new company.[21] Many of Vivendi Games' properties were later dropped by Activision, citing that they would not make for a good fit for the company's long-term strategy.[22]

Subsidiaries

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Publishing

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  • Coktel Vision; acquired by Sierra On-Line in May 1994,[23] sold to Mindscape in October 2005.[24]
  • Sierra Entertainment; acquired in July 1996.[1]
    • Sierra Online
      • Sierra Online Seattle; acquired in September 2006.[25]
      • Sierra Online Shanghai; acquired in September 2006.[25]
  • Vivendi Games Mobile; established in March 2006.[18]
    • Centerscore; acquired in September 2006.[26][27]
  • Universal Interactive, absorbed through the Vivendi–Universal merger in June 2000.[28][29]
  • NDA Productions[30]
  • Black Label Games, established in August 2002.[31][32]
  • Fox Interactive; acquired in March 2003.[33]

Development

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References

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Vorlage:Reflist

Vorlage:Activision

[[Category:1996 establishments in California]] [[Category:2008 disestablishments in California]] [[Category:Activision Blizzard]] [[Category:American companies established in 1996]] [[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California]] [[Category:Defunct companies based in the Greater Los Angeles Area]] [[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]] [[Category:Former Vivendi subsidiaries|Games]] [[Category:Holding companies of the United States]] [[Category:Technology companies based in the Greater Los Angeles Area]] [[Category:Video game companies based in California]] [[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2008]] [[Category:Video game companies established in 1996]] [[Category:Video game companies of the United States]] [[Category:Video game publishers]]

  1. a b c d Peter H. Lewis: CUC Will Buy 2 Software Companies for $1.8 Billion. In: nytimes.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  2. CUC INTERNATIONAL INC. COMPLETES ACQUISITIONS OF DAVIDSON & ASSOCIATES, INC. AND SIERRA ON-LINE, INC., July 24, 1996 
  3. a b c d e KAREN KAPLAN: Davidson Founders Make Quiet Exit. via LA Times, 10. Februar 1997, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  4. LESLIE HELM: Marketer CUC to Buy Davidson & Associates. via LA Times, 21. Februar 1996, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  5. a b KAREN KAPLAN: CUC Will Buy Knowledge Adventure. via LA Times, 6. November 1996, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  6. a b CUC Buys Content Maker Berkeley Systems. In: wired.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  7. Charles V. Bagli: $11 Billion Merger Plan Would Join HFS and CUC. In: nytimes.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  8. From Associated Press: CUC-HFS Merger Deal to Create Strong One-Stop-Shopping Entity. via LA Times, 28. Mai 1997, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  9. Harley Jebens: CUC Gets Renamed. In: gamespot.com. 28. April 2000, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  10. Vorlage:Cite magazine
  11. Saul Hansell: Cendant Said to Near Sale of Software Division. In: nytimes.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  12. Cendant Sells Software Unit. In: wired.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  13. Vivendi's High Wireless Act. In: wired.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  14. a b Havas Interactive Changes Name To Vivendi. In: gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  15. Marc Graser: Viv U streamlines games. In: variety.com. 15. November 2001, abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  16. General Electric buys Vivendi media empire. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  17. Vivendi Universal to shorten company name. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  18. a b Nich Maragos: Gamasutra - The Art & Business of Making Games. In: www.gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  19. Rachel Rosmarin: Vivendi To Merge With Activision. In: forbes.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  20. a b Leigh Alexander: Activision Blizzard Merger Official. In: kotaku.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  21. a b Leigh Alexander: Activision Blizzard Merger Finalized. In: kotaku.com. Abgerufen am 20. Juli 2018.
  22. Narayan Pattison: Activision Drops Several Vivendi Games. In: IGN. 29. Juli 2008;.
  23. L'américain Sierra-On-Line absorbe Coktel Vision - Les Echos. In: www.lesechos.fr. Abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  24. VU Games cède Coktel à Mindscape. In: gamekult.com. 21. Oktober 2005, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  25. a b Brandon Boyer: Vivendi Acquires Secret Lair, Studio Ch'in. In: gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  26. Vivendi acquires Centerscore. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  27. Jason Dobson: Vivendi Acquires Centerscore, Expands Mobile Portfolio. In: gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  28. Buy Low, Sell High: Vivendi's History in Video Games. In: Kotaku UK. Abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  29. David Teather: Vivendi seals merger. In: the Guardian. 19. Juni 2000, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  30. I. G. N. Staff: Europe Gets Hard Early. In: ign.com. 13. November 2002, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  31. Giancarlo Varanini: Vivendi creates new studio. In: gamespot.com. 13. August 2002, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  32. I. G. N. Staff: VU Creates Black Label Games. In: ign.com. 13. August 2002, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  33. Alex Pham: Fox Sells Video Game Division to Vivendi. via LA Times, 11. März 2003, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  34. Dean Takahashi: Technology. via LA Times, 1. März 1994, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  35. Vivendi Universal sells educational games division. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  36. Vivendi Universal Publishing announces the acquisition of Massive Entertainment - Blue's News. In: www.bluesnews.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  37. Sam Parker: Vivendi Universal acquires Massive Entertainment. In: gamespot.com. 3. Oktober 2002, abgerufen am 22. Juli 2018.
  38. VU Games acquires Simpsons: Hit & Run developer Radical Entertainment. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  39. David Jenkins: Gamasutra - The Art & Business of Making Games. In: www.gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  40. Vivendi nets Swordfish in new acquisition deal. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  41. Vivendi Universal acquires High Moon Studios. In: gamesindustry.biz. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  42. Vivendi Acquires Assault Heroes Developer. In: wired.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  43. Brandon Boyer: Vivendi Acquires Wanako Games. In: gamasutra.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.
  44. Vivendi acquires Wanako Games. In: engadget.com. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2018.