Gservo
25th January 2003, 01:07 AM
VIVENDI MAY DEAL GAMES TO GATES!
January 24: An interesting development in the consolidating world of computer games may significantly impact Marvel Enterprises. Vivendi, who got an exclusive ten year license for a Marvel multi-player universe in 2002 is reportedly in serious talks with Microsoft to sell off the games unit.
Investment bank analyst, Investec, told its clients on Friday that it believed Microsoft was in talks with struggling Vivendi Universal about buying its video and computer game business. The reported price was in the neighborhood of $2 billion.
Jeff Van Rhee, Investec's director of enterprise software research, told Reuters he had received indications a deal was in the works. "There was some pretty actionable data that said something had just happened and things were heating up pretty quickly," he said.
Reuters reported in mid-December that sources indicated Vivendi "had at least preliminary conversations about the potential for a deal with Microsoft, Sony Corp. and Electronic Arts Inc." Marvel, who has close film ties to Sony, raised question marks when it signed the long term deal with Vivendi.
Depending on how the original contracts were drawn up, a sale of Vivendi to Microsoft might very well give Bill Gates a ten year exclusive for on-line development of the Marvel characters. And who knows--maybe a back door into the House of Ideas itself?
January 24: An interesting development in the consolidating world of computer games may significantly impact Marvel Enterprises. Vivendi, who got an exclusive ten year license for a Marvel multi-player universe in 2002 is reportedly in serious talks with Microsoft to sell off the games unit.
Investment bank analyst, Investec, told its clients on Friday that it believed Microsoft was in talks with struggling Vivendi Universal about buying its video and computer game business. The reported price was in the neighborhood of $2 billion.
Jeff Van Rhee, Investec's director of enterprise software research, told Reuters he had received indications a deal was in the works. "There was some pretty actionable data that said something had just happened and things were heating up pretty quickly," he said.
Reuters reported in mid-December that sources indicated Vivendi "had at least preliminary conversations about the potential for a deal with Microsoft, Sony Corp. and Electronic Arts Inc." Marvel, who has close film ties to Sony, raised question marks when it signed the long term deal with Vivendi.
Depending on how the original contracts were drawn up, a sale of Vivendi to Microsoft might very well give Bill Gates a ten year exclusive for on-line development of the Marvel characters. And who knows--maybe a back door into the House of Ideas itself?