Sierra games being pitched to new corporate masters at Activision
It's a tough time to be developing a game for Vivendi Games' Sierra label, the division that makes "normal" videogames -- i.e. AAA, boxed, non-MMO games for PC and consoles. That's because all of the label's titles now have to justify their existence to their soon-to-be corporate masters at Activision.
What does that mean practically? I've had numerous sources tell me
that development teams on all of
Vivendi's games now have to
essentially pitch their projects to Activision executives. Until the
merger is technically complete, work proceeds as usual, but once it's
over, Activision will start making some decisions. And it seems very unlikely that everything at Sierra will keep going as it has been.
Just like when a new executive teams takes over at a film studio, some projects in development get killed and others get changed as the new folks in charge start establishing their own tastes and corporate priorities.
Vivendi's Blizzard label is, of course, quite safe from all this. The merged company is going to be called Activision Blizzard, after all. So long as "World of Warcraft" keeps printing money faster than the Fed, they'll be left alone by Activision's execs to do as they please.
But the future of the rest of Vivendi Games is quite uncertain. Even though Vivendi proper will retain a majority stake in the merged entity, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick will keep that title and his president of publishing president Mike Griffith remains in charge of all non-Blizzard games.
Activision obviously made the deal to get its hands on the biggest MMO, and really the biggest game, in the industry. Everything else is basically an afterthought. Which leaves all of those making the afterthoughts in an uncertain position.
Titles set to come out this year, like "The Bourne Conspiracy," "Prototype," "Brutal Legend," and "Ghostbusters," are probably fine since they're so far along. But those in development for 2009 and later? They'll all TBD.
Question marks include whether we'll see more games from VIvendi's costly Robert Ludlum license, or if Activision thinks its conflicts with its costly James Bond license; whether there will be a sequel to "Scarface" as expected; whether Activision will put out a sequel to "F.E.A.R." in conflict with Warner/Monolith's "Project Origin" (Vivendi retains rights to the name while Warner kept the underlying ideas); and if we'll see more games starring Crash Bandicoot or Spyro.
Also, will Vivendi's nascent Sierra Online and Vivendi Mobile divisions be allowed to continue?
It's all in Activision's hands now. Which leaves some nervous developers at Sierra.





Subscribe to this blog's feed

Can you tell me more information about that projects?
Posted by: Cheap Viagra | November 16, 2009 at 12:22 PM
That's a pretty neat list. I wasn't familiar with those before this, so thanks for that. I especially like the one about author bios. Check out some bed memory foam while you're at it. Also you might look into some best air conditioners. After you're done looking at those, I will have given you as much useful information as you gave me, so thanks again.
Posted by: garden lawn mower | November 11, 2009 at 01:58 PM
Oh no.....crash was so awesome!
Posted by: infants | November 05, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Never heard of Vivendi games, but am definitely a huge fan of bond movies and ludlum. And i loved super mario (i know, it dates me) so if you put the all together - sound like it can all make for one interesting combo!
Posted by: atara | October 29, 2009 at 02:59 AM
so good! I LOVE YOU ! YOUR POST IS GREAT,thx
Posted by: replica handbags | October 23, 2009 at 11:52 PM
cash gifting
Posted by: cash gifting | October 21, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Activision is great company: owner of a decent amount of hits in multiple platforms.
Posted by: Frigid Wife | October 16, 2009 at 06:50 AM
nice blog its really informative
Posted by: search the internet | October 03, 2009 at 07:13 PM
Activision games are fantastic..,they such unforgettable master pieces!!
Posted by: Viagra Online | September 18, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many cheap seal cegel and play the game with me.
Posted by: Anton | September 14, 2009 at 03:03 PM
Good review, thanks.
Posted by: us drugstore | August 10, 2009 at 06:15 AM
Good review, thanks.
Posted by: us drugstore | August 09, 2009 at 02:08 PM
They had joinedgame4power the humans, elves, dwarves, and Buy Wow Golddragons to decimate the demonic warriors and ghoulish beasts and push theaoc gold remnants back into wow gold cheapthe hellish beyond. Thousands warhammer goldhad perished, but the alternative… The dragon mage snorted. In truth, wow goldthere had beenno alternative. Krasus waved aion goldlong, tapering fingers over the orb, summoning a vision of the orcs. The view world of warcraft goldblurred momentarily, then revealed a mountainous, rocky wow gold cheaparea further inland. A harsh land, but one still full of life and capable of cheapest wow goldsupporting the new colonists. Already, several stone cheap wow goldstructures had risen in the main settlement, where the aion goldWarchief and one of the heroes of the war, Thrall, ruled. aion kinaThe high, rounded edificeWow Gold ,www.game4power.comthat served as his quarters was crude by the standards of any other race, but orcs had a propensity toward basics.
metin2 yang
cheap aion gold
Posted by: 111 | July 13, 2009 at 03:03 AM
Do you know Scions Of Fate gold? I like it.
My brother often go to the internet bar to buy SOF gold and play it.
After school, He likes playing games using these Scions Of Fate money with his friend.
But I do not like to play it. Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many cheap SOF gold and play the game with me.
I came to the bar following him and found buy sof gold was so cheap. After that, I also go to play game with him.
Do you know seal cegel? I like it.
My brother often go to the internet bar to buy sealonline cegel and play it.
After school, He likes playing games using these seal online cegel with his friends.
I do not like to play it. Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many cheap seal cegel and play the game with me.
I came to the bar following him and found buy seal online cegel was so cheap. After that, I also go to play game with him.
Posted by: cheap SOF gold | April 16, 2009 at 06:08 PM
<a href=http://newdayprofit.com>Investment firms, investment plans, earnings for You </a>
Posted by: Fasomeunsasse | April 03, 2009 at 02:23 AM
I am so happy to get some hero gold and the hero online gold is given by my close friend who tells me that the hero online money is the basis to enter into the game. Therefore, I should buy hero gold with the spare money and I gain some hero money from other players.
Posted by: buy hero gold | March 11, 2009 at 09:55 PM
In return of customers' long-term support, GMLVL.com now offer a 20%-50% discount for all pacakge on www.gmlvl.com.
The bonus of 12 hours' free power leveling for any custom orders is here.
You will get 10% commission generated from your Referrals' power leveling orders and 5% commission for gold order.
enjoy in www.gmlvl.com
Posted by: kety | April 08, 2008 at 05:19 AM
Oh no.....crash was so awesome!
Posted by: Stan, the play games man | March 29, 2008 at 07:21 AM
Sierra, you can't give in on the crash bandicoot games yet they are so awsome. In fact I want to tell you that I have some ideas for new crash bandicoot games I would like to show you these ideas in the summer so sierra so please don't give in the crash bandicoot games please.
Posted by: Noah Aguilar | March 24, 2008 at 01:33 PM
no more crash???????????????????????????????????
Posted by: bob | March 24, 2008 at 01:32 PM