Vivendi Games AKA CUC Software, Cendant Software, Havas Interactive, Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing and Vivendi Universal Games was an American video game publisher and holding company based in Los Angeles. The company 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.
History[]
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 US $1.8 billion stock swap. The deal closed on July 24, 1996. CUC International previously only operated membership shopping clubs, wherefore analysts were surprised by the company move into the software industry. 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. Under that new umbrella, both Davidson & Associates and Sierra On Line would act independently from CUC International. Bod Davidson, co founder of Davidson & Associates, became chairman and chief executive of the new establishment. On November 5 that year, CUC International announced that they would additionally acquire Knowledge Adventure, another developer, in a stock deal valued between $50 million and US $100 million. The acquisition was completed on February 3, 1997. 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 board of directors. Christopher McLeod, an executive vice president for CUC International, took over CUC Software in Bob Davidson place. In April 1997, CUC International acquired Berkeley Systems for an undisclosed sum.
On May 28, 1997, CUC International announced plans to merge with Hospitality Franchise Systems to create a single, one stop entity. The merger was finalized in December that year and created Cendant. As a result of the merger, CUC Software was renamed Cendant Software. On November 20, 1998, French media company Havas announced that it would acquire Cendant Software for $800 million in cash and up to $200 million contingent on the performance of Cendant Software. Subsequently, the division was renamed Havas Interactive. On May 16, 2001, Havas Interactive was renamed Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing, while its direct parent, Havas, became Vivendi Universal Publishing. Under the new name, the company was split into to parts Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing North America and Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing International, both of which took responsibility for their respective publishing regions. On November 13, 2001, both parts were streamlined under the name Vivendi Universal Games. 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. On March 3, 2006, Vivendi Universal announced they would be dropping the Universal part of their name The same day, the company opened a mobile games division known as Vivendi Universal Games Mobile.
In December 2007, American publisher Activision announced a proposed merger deal with Vivendi Games that would create a new holding company named Activision Blizzard. The deal was approved by Activision shareholders on July 8, 2008, and the merger was finalized on July 10, creating Activision Blizzard while dissolving Vivendi Games. Bruce Hack, who served as chief executive officer of Vivendi Games, became vice chairman and chief corporate officer of the new company. Many of Vivendi Games properties were later dropped by Activision, citing that they would not make for a good fit for the company long term strategy.
Subsidiaries[]
Publishing[]
- Coktel Vision; acquired by Sierra On Line in May 1994, sold to Mindscape in October 2005.
- Sierra Entertainment; acquired in July 1996.
- Sierra Online
- Sierra Online Seattle; acquired in September 2006.
- Sierra Online Shanghai; acquired in September 2006.
- Sierra Online
- Vivendi Games Mobile; established in March 2006.
- Centerscore; acquired in September 2006.
- Universal Interactive, absorbed through the Vivendi Universal merger in June 2000.
- NDA Productions
- Black Label Games, established in August 2002.
- Fox Interactive; acquired in March 2003.
Development[]
- Blizzard Entertainment; acquired by Davidson & Associates in March 1994.
- Davidson & Associates; acquired in July 1996.
- Knowledge Adventure; acquired in February 1997, sold to Azure Capital Partners and Telesoft Partners in October 2004.
- Berkeley Systems; acquired in April 1997.
- Massive Entertainment; acquired in October 2002.
- Radical Entertainment; acquired in March 2005.
- Swordfish Studios; acquired in June 2005.
- High Moon Studios; acquired in January 2006.
- Wanako Games; acquired in February 2007.