It appears World of Warcraft developers, Blizzard, may be working on fifth game, said to be a new IP.

Two new job listings have surfaced on Blizzrd’s job oppurtunities page looking for a Software Engineer in Client and in Gameplay under the category of ‘Unannounced’. The job description mentions they need the gameplay engineers “to focus on graphics and other client systems for an unannounced title.”

Over at IncGamers, they tell us “an inside source at Blizzard has confirmed that the game is not a World of Warcraft expansion and not related to their next-gen MMO. The source stated this is a brand new game and they are using the World of Warcraft engine for testing purposes.”

So, it’s most likely Blizzard is making a fifth game. However, what kind of game could it be? Will we finally see a Blizzard title on a console?

Activision Blizzard has confirmed the rumors of a Call of Duty game coming out this year (which we all knew would happen anyways) and the game is said to be going back to modern times. Currently labeled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the game is on track for a holiday 2009 season release, but no other details of the sixth installment have been released.

This is great news for Call of Duty fans (like myself), especially for those who hated the fact that Call of Duty: World at War was taken back to WWII times. At least we have a new map pack for World at War coming out in March to keep us content until Modern Warfare 2 comes out later this year.

Source: Joystiq.com

Activision Blizzard has received $6 million in damages, courtesy of MDY industries; the company behind MMOglider used in the popular World of Warcraft game.

Blizzard began the case against the company on the premise that the software violated copyright, reports BBC news. It was ruled that the use of the software broke the rules of the license agreement which players accept when creating an account.

From BBC news:

• Although sizable the damages award could have been bigger, say experts, if MDY had not won some of its arguments about damages in court.

• It was also helped by an admission in court that it would be reasonable to pay some form of damages.

• The damages award could be delayed if Blizzard appeals against the judgment which threw out its claim to double or triple the cash settlement.

• The case is due to go to court again in January 2009 when the remaining issues in the legal conflict look likely to be settled.

The glider company sold around 100,000 copies of the $25 software (which lets you stop playing your games!). I’m no mathematician, but I know that the $6,000,000 exceeds this by a wide margin. Looks like MDY industries has both fallen on its face and has to pay for its ambulance (and the only one available was plated in gold). Now that’s a metaphor!

Source: BBC News via GameCyte

It wasn’t long ago that we all questioned Rick Moranis’s decision to turn his back on the Ghostbusters video game. The same game Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd said yes to. The same game so many of us nerds have been looking forward to.

Well, today Activision Blizzard joins Moranis, as they announce their post merger line-up. Ghostbusters (as well as several other games listed at the end of this article) were nixed by the new level 70 (soon to be 80) elite rare spawn perked out mega publisher — Activision Blizzard for short.

Activision CEO, Mike Griffith, stated the following regarding the line-up change:

“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,”

The new “streamlined” list of games includes Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age, Spyro the Dragon, Prototype, and one yet to be announced title. Ice Age and Spyro the fucking Dragon over Ghostbusters? Are you fucking kidding me?

In all honesty, I find it funny that Activision Blizzard’s focus is now to” streamline” things, when the  two companies had several months to “streamline” their new name, but in the end decided to keep it as lengthy as humanly fucking possible.

Who you gonna call? Not Activision Blizzard, that’s for fucking for sure.

Full list of games cut: Brutal Legend, Wet, Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, World at Conflict: Soviet Assault, 50 Cent Blood on the Sand, Zombie Wranglers, Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust, and various Xbox Live Arcade titles.

Source: Gameindustry.biz

Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, discusses the companys split with the ESA in an upcoming interview with Variety. The full interview has yet to be published, however a few short quotes pertaining to Activision’s involvement with the ESA were transformed into a write up.

When asked specifically about their break up, Kotick attempted to clarify stating:

“… don’t view it as anything but time off …”

The logic, explained by Kotick below, revolves around the merger, controlling expendatures, and interum decision making.

“With the combined companies, the dues went up enough that I said for it to make sense [to spend that money], we have to make a strategic plan … We don’t have that because nobody owns it for us right now.”

I will attempt to predict the collective reaction by ESA upon hearing this news. “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.” – Lloyd, Dumb & Dumber. If no one owns strategic planning and company expendature, why is Activision going to be present at Comic-Con? Maybe the “time off” would better be described as “time off to see other people”.

Source: Variety

Like it or not, with a reported shareholders vote of 92%, the merger first announced back in December 2007, is finally complete. All last minute hopes of a creative name for the new company are officially squashed, as the new name, “Activsion Blizzard”, proves that compromise is often boring as hell.

In exchange for 295.3 new shares of Activision stock, Vivendi, and all associated properties, become subsidiaries of Activision. However, an additional purchase of 62.9 shares at the tune of $1.7 billion put Vivendi in the drivers seat with nearly 52% ownership in the new entity.

Full details after the jump. Take a deep breath, you’re going to need it.

Activision Stockholders Approve Combination with Vivendi Games

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 08, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that, at a special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, it received the stockholder approval necessary to consummate the company’s agreement with Vivendi, S.A. to combine Vivendi Games, Vivendi’s interactive entertainment business, with Activision’s businesses. All of the proposals required to effect the transaction received more than 92 percent of the shares voted. The transaction is expected to close on or around July 9, 2008.

Activision and Vivendi Games will combine their businesses through the merger of a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision with and into Vivendi Games. As a result of the merger, Vivendi Games, the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment and Sierra, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision. Vivendi will receive approximately 295.3 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi will purchase approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash, resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares outstanding. As of the closing of the transaction, Activision will be renamed Activision Blizzard and will continue to operate as a public company traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ATVI.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide pure-play online and console game publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Chile, India, Japan China, the region of Taiwan and South Korea. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In this release, they are identified by references to dates after the date of this release and words such as “outlook”, “will,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes”, “may”, “expects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Factors that could cause Activision Blizzard’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales of Activision Blizzard’s titles in its fiscal year 2009, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Blizzard’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Blizzard’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, , the Activision Blizzard’s success in integrating the operations of Activision and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated. Other such factors include the further implementation, acceptance and effectiveness of the remedial measures recommended or adopted by the special sub-committee of independent directors established in July 2006 to review historical stock option granting practices by Activision Blizzard and its board of directors, the finalization of the tentative settlement of the SEC’s formal investigation and final court approval of the proposed settlement of the derivative litigation filed in July 2006 against certain current and former directors and officers of Activision Blizzard relating to Activision Blizzard’s stock option granting practices, and the possibility that additional claims and proceedings will be commenced, including additional action by the SEC and/or other regulatory agencies, and other litigation unrelated to stock option granting practices and any additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the definitive proxy statement filed on June 6, 2008 in connection with the proposed transaction with Vivendi. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and Activision Blizzard assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.