Jason Schreier

But that's the reality of kind of this ingrained culture there. And it's really tough to overcome that.

But that's the reality of kind of this ingrained culture there. And it's really tough to overcome that.

But that's the reality of kind of this ingrained culture there. And it's really tough to overcome that.

After the send-in tobacco back in 1998, Blizzard wound up getting sold to this company called Vivendi, a French water company, which again, going from a mail order catalog company to like this merger with a health company to like a French utilities company. They're just like, what is going on here? So they're part of Vivendi for a little while.

After the send-in tobacco back in 1998, Blizzard wound up getting sold to this company called Vivendi, a French water company, which again, going from a mail order catalog company to like this merger with a health company to like a French utilities company. They're just like, what is going on here? So they're part of Vivendi for a little while.

After the send-in tobacco back in 1998, Blizzard wound up getting sold to this company called Vivendi, a French water company, which again, going from a mail order catalog company to like this merger with a health company to like a French utilities company. They're just like, what is going on here? So they're part of Vivendi for a little while.

Vivendi winds up with this games division, Vivendi Games. This was back when they were also like involved in Universal. So Vivendi had this whole entertainment strategy. Then their CEO got in all sorts of trouble for misappropriation of funds. That sort of thing, as the cycle continues. Basically, Vivendi wound up in a ton of debt, billions in debt, and was just facing all sorts of problems.

Vivendi winds up with this games division, Vivendi Games. This was back when they were also like involved in Universal. So Vivendi had this whole entertainment strategy. Then their CEO got in all sorts of trouble for misappropriation of funds. That sort of thing, as the cycle continues. Basically, Vivendi wound up in a ton of debt, billions in debt, and was just facing all sorts of problems.

Vivendi winds up with this games division, Vivendi Games. This was back when they were also like involved in Universal. So Vivendi had this whole entertainment strategy. Then their CEO got in all sorts of trouble for misappropriation of funds. That sort of thing, as the cycle continues. Basically, Vivendi wound up in a ton of debt, billions in debt, and was just facing all sorts of problems.

There were rumors in the news every year about how they were in trouble and they were going to sell the games division, and it was really just not pleasant to be there, to be part of Blizzard, because you're just like, man, this sucks. We're making all this cool stuff, and we have no idea what's going to happen to our company.

There were rumors in the news every year about how they were in trouble and they were going to sell the games division, and it was really just not pleasant to be there, to be part of Blizzard, because you're just like, man, this sucks. We're making all this cool stuff, and we have no idea what's going to happen to our company.

There were rumors in the news every year about how they were in trouble and they were going to sell the games division, and it was really just not pleasant to be there, to be part of Blizzard, because you're just like, man, this sucks. We're making all this cool stuff, and we have no idea what's going to happen to our company.

At one point, Mike Morhaime and his executive crew even talked about, like, can we buy out Blizzard? What would that look like? Which is a fun little alternate history speculation there. But anyway, so 2007 is when Vivendi Games announces they're going to merge with Activision.

At one point, Mike Morhaime and his executive crew even talked about, like, can we buy out Blizzard? What would that look like? Which is a fun little alternate history speculation there. But anyway, so 2007 is when Vivendi Games announces they're going to merge with Activision.

At one point, Mike Morhaime and his executive crew even talked about, like, can we buy out Blizzard? What would that look like? Which is a fun little alternate history speculation there. But anyway, so 2007 is when Vivendi Games announces they're going to merge with Activision.

So it's not a buyout, it's a merger, and it becomes Activision Blizzard, because Blizzard is like the crown jewel of Vivendi Games. At the time, it seemed like a really good fit. And I think from the Blizzard side, it was like, okay, we've gone through all this corporate turmoil. Here is Activision. They're one of the most successful video game companies on the planet.

So it's not a buyout, it's a merger, and it becomes Activision Blizzard, because Blizzard is like the crown jewel of Vivendi Games. At the time, it seemed like a really good fit. And I think from the Blizzard side, it was like, okay, we've gone through all this corporate turmoil. Here is Activision. They're one of the most successful video game companies on the planet.

So it's not a buyout, it's a merger, and it becomes Activision Blizzard, because Blizzard is like the crown jewel of Vivendi Games. At the time, it seemed like a really good fit. And I think from the Blizzard side, it was like, okay, we've gone through all this corporate turmoil. Here is Activision. They're one of the most successful video game companies on the planet.

And the book Play Nice kind of tracks the history, like the rise of Bobby Kotick and the history of Activision. We could work well together. And also Activision is really good on consoles. We're a PC gaming company. This is actually a really good potential relationship. And it is for a while. For a few years, things go really well.

And the book Play Nice kind of tracks the history, like the rise of Bobby Kotick and the history of Activision. We could work well together. And also Activision is really good on consoles. We're a PC gaming company. This is actually a really good potential relationship. And it is for a while. For a few years, things go really well.