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July 28, 2008: Activision
Publishing Adds Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro
 Download the press release
ACTIVISION PUBLISHING BROADENS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO WITH CRASH BANDICOOT®, ICE AGE®, SPYRO® AND TWO NEW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES
Company to Streamline Vivendi Games’ Studio Operations
Santa Monica, CA – July 28, 2008 – Further strengthening its foundation for future growth, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that the company will broaden its product portfolio by adding Vivendi Games’ multi-million unit selling properties Crash Bandicoot®, Ice Age® and Spyro® to its roster of proven franchises. The company will also retain two new intellectual properties that are currently in development -- Prototype and a second game that has not yet been announced.
Additionally, Activision Publishing will continue to support the Vivendi Games’ catalogue including The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor™, which
was launched on July 22 in conjunction with the release of Universal Pictures’
theatrical feature film.
Games based on Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro have
been top-selling titles in North America and Europe. The Crash Bandicoot franchise has sold more than 35 million units across multiple platforms in North America and Europe since its first release in 1996, and life-to-date units of Spyro have exceeded 20 million worldwide. The Ice Age feature films have grossed in excess of $1 billion in theatrical box office revenues worldwide, and Sierra Entertainment’s Ice Age® 2: The Meltdown™ sold nearly two million units worldwide.
“Four of the five properties that we are keeping will be wholly owned properties that further bolster our strong brand portfolio,” said Mike Griffith, CEO of Activision Publishing. “We are very excited to add such recognizable and successful brands as Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro, which reinforce our leadership
position in movie-based and family entertainment video games.”
Griffith added, “We have conducted a thorough review of Vivendi Games’ brand
portfolio and are retaining those franchises and titles that are a strong fit
with our long-term product strategy. We are reviewing our options
regarding those titles that we will not be publishing.”
Additionally, Activision Publishing announced that the company intends to
adapt the Vivendi Games’ studio operations to better align the studio structure
against the new product slate. The company will realign staffing at
Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios and is exploring options regarding
Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios, including the possibility of
divestiture.
Griffith continued, “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 company also is evaluating options regarding two non-strategic business units Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online, which provides casual games for the PC and Xbox® Live® Marketplace, including the possibility of divesting
these business units.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Publishing, Inc. is a
leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive
entertainment and leisure products.
Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision Publishing and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’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. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook”, “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes”, “may”, “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’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 Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’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 Publishing’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, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Publishing’s success in integrating the operations of Activision Publishing 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 additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this
release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and
Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision
Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any 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 Publishing or 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.
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