Originally posted by Aethios 

Perhaps this was why they decided to allow Mythic to act as a separate entity, rather than gobble them up like they have done with every other purchased company? I mean, it's possible they understand that this is what it looks like, but they are just incapable of managing an MMO past the development phases. I can understand how that would be possible, since EA is primarily a single-player game company, which typically have very little after-market development, if any at all, so an MMO must be a completely different animal.

My point is that MMOs aren't viable money-makers just selling the boxes and not even attempting to hold subs. If this really is their business strategy, they will go bottom-up very quickly (or at least run out of money and stop trying), so we don't really have to worry about it. EA are certainly screw-ups, but to suggest they do it on purpose is tin-foil-hattery.

Then put your tin foil hat on.

I'll simplify it further for you, and probably others;

Say you have a lemonade stand making $10 per day. Suddenly your neighbor sets up an apple juice stand, right next to you, and starts making $1 a day. At the same time, you notice your profits drop to $9 per day. Now instead of $300 per month, you're only making $270.

So, you come up with a plan, you'll offer your neighbor half of your losses in profits per year, or $180 to buy him out. Your neighbor says, "wow, that's a lot of money, I could use it," and he takes the cash. You continue to run the apple juice stand on the side, but you're not really interested in it, you just saved yourself $180 in lost sales by buying it out.

After a while people realize the apple juice sucks! Someone didn't mix it right, nobody really cares. They stop buying the apple juice, and eventually you close it down to continue selling your lemonade.  Your profits return to $10 per day.

Got your tin foil hat on?

Originally posted by Cabe2323

Originally posted by sempiternal

Cabe2323 is completely misinformed.

Yes, EA did already own Origin Systems before Ultima Online was developed, however, EA had nothing to do with the development of Ultima Online until Garriott and team left. It was developed completely within the direction of Origin Systems and Garriott. The only thing EA had to do with it was to give OSI a little funding when Garriott practically begged for it.

EA deserves no credit for Ultima Online, except for taking it over and ruining it, as they do with all MMOs they can get their hands on that could possibly begin cutting into their box sales.
 

EA owned and controlled Ultima Online from it's inception.  They have always owned it and have always been the ones ultimately in control. 
 

Wow, you either didn't read or comprehend the post you just replied to.

Originally posted by lionexx

Question, Why  does anyone care about a dead/dying game called UO which was already ruined by EA when the first picked it up? Let it go the game is 10 years old and gone.

This is not about UO, this is about MMOs and their future at Electronic Arts.

Question: Why hasn't EA bought out Blizzard then? Hmmm maybe because if you are getting into the MMO market then it is just for one and only thing TO MAKE MONEY. And you don't have to sell 10 million subs to do it. Turbine has one of the biggest franchise names under them, and they arent even close to Sony or Blizzard in profits, But guess what they just got bought out by one of largest investment companies in America. They say their going to relese more MMO's because now they have all the publishing money they need. If EA ruins their MMO's then they will be out of the MMO market. Try to come up with more of a precise point to why a MMO will fail then a company doesnt care or is trying to buy up it's competition pretty lame if you ask me.

screw it

Originally posted by Jakeadunk

Question: Why hasn't EA bought out Blizzard then? Hmmm maybe because if you are getting into the MMO market then it is just for one and only thing TO MAKE MONEY. And you don't have to sell 10 million subs to do it. Turbine has one of the biggest franchise names under them, and they arent even close to Sony or Blizzard in profits, But guess what they just got bought out by one of largest investment companies in America. They say their going to relese more MMO's because now they have all the publishing money they need. If EA ruins their MMO's then they will be out of the MMO market. Try to come up with more of a precise point to why a MMO will fail then a company doesnt care or is trying to buy up it's competition pretty lame if you ask me.

What are you talking about? Activision owns Blizzard, EA had many chances with MMOs, but continues to shuffle boxes. I suggest you re-read the first post.

ERTS is EA, ATVI is Activision.

"WoW was a lightning bolt through the heart of EA executive management, but rather than energize the company, it paralyzed them into their stubborn resolve."

....when your evidence is googlefight, I have to just shake my head....

I have to assume you have a grudge, and quite possibly are writing this because you are a WoW fan scared to see friends leave for WAR. If not, then you do not have a motive that makes sense (at least on the surface).

Originally posted by skydragonren

Semp, just stop now, your right, you should have known better than to come here and try to discuss anything intellectual.

You are also right in what you say, specifically about how EA handles things.

You were also right about the EA/UO/Garriot debacle and Cabewhatever was wrong.

Arguing with these people on these boards however is useless. 

None of them care, and you could say the sky was blue and they would say it was purple just to spite you. 

So just leave it alone. You were / are right and intelligent gamers know it. 

Unfortunately you are arguing with the other sort. 

Just let it go.

That was a real surprise! You completely disarmed me. You win.

I surrender, I didn't plan on staying much longer anyway.

I just wanted to share some interesting information with fellow game enthusiasts.

Most my EA stock has long since been abandonned.

Originally posted by LV426

....when your evidence is googlefight, I have to just shake my head....

I have to assume you have a grudge, and quite possibly are writing this because you are a WoW fan scared to see friends leave for WAR. If not, then you do not have a motive that makes sense (at least on the surface).

LOL, do you know what a NASDAQ is?

Bye.

Originally posted by paulscott

EA runs itself like a bussiness instead of a game company...  Your issues are?

Exactly, that's why they are making money.
To the OP, you can't ask a big corporation like EA to be innovative, for this you need to look towards the indie developers.
No point in complaining how EA run its business, because it's the way it should be run.

Originally posted by sempiternal

Originally posted by Jakeadunk

Question: Why hasn't EA bought out Blizzard then? Hmmm maybe because if you are getting into the MMO market then it is just for one and only thing TO MAKE MONEY. And you don't have to sell 10 million subs to do it. Turbine has one of the biggest franchise names under them, and they arent even close to Sony or Blizzard in profits, But guess what they just got bought out by one of largest investment companies in America. They say their going to relese more MMO's because now they have all the publishing money they need. If EA ruins their MMO's then they will be out of the MMO market. Try to come up with more of a precise point to why a MMO will fail then a company doesnt care or is trying to buy up it's competition pretty lame if you ask me.

 

What are you talking about? Activision owns Blizzard, EA had many chances with MMOs, but continues to shuffle boxes. I suggest you re-read the first post.

ERTS is EA, ATVI is Activision.

"WoW was a lightning bolt through the heart of EA executive management, but rather than energize the company, it paralyzed them into their stubborn resolve."

Now I know you are clueless.  Activision doesn't own Blizzard.  Vivendi Owns Blizzard and they now own Activision. 
 

Originally posted by Cabe2323

Originally posted by sempiternal

Originally posted by Jakeadunk

Question: Why hasn't EA bought out Blizzard then? Hmmm maybe because if you are getting into the MMO market then it is just for one and only thing TO MAKE MONEY. And you don't have to sell 10 million subs to do it. Turbine has one of the biggest franchise names under them, and they arent even close to Sony or Blizzard in profits, But guess what they just got bought out by one of largest investment companies in America. They say their going to relese more MMO's because now they have all the publishing money they need. If EA ruins their MMO's then they will be out of the MMO market. Try to come up with more of a precise point to why a MMO will fail then a company doesnt care or is trying to buy up it's competition pretty lame if you ask me.

 

What are you talking about? Activision owns Blizzard, EA had many chances with MMOs, but continues to shuffle boxes. I suggest you re-read the first post.

ERTS is EA, ATVI is Activision.

"WoW was a lightning bolt through the heart of EA executive management, but rather than energize the company, it paralyzed them into their stubborn resolve."

Now I know you are clueless.  Activision doesn't own Blizzard.  Vivendi Owns Blizzard and they now own Activision. 
 

Spot on, Vivendi own Activision and Blizzard, which is now the official game subsidiary of Vivendi (Vivendi Games used to own Blizzard but it is now disappeared and rebranded Activision-Blizzard)

Originally posted by skydragonren

Originally posted by Cabe2323

Originally posted by sempiternal

Originally posted by Jakeadunk

Question: Why hasn't EA bought out Blizzard then? Hmmm maybe because if you are getting into the MMO market then it is just for one and only thing TO MAKE MONEY. And you don't have to sell 10 million subs to do it. Turbine has one of the biggest franchise names under them, and they arent even close to Sony or Blizzard in profits, But guess what they just got bought out by one of largest investment companies in America. They say their going to relese more MMO's because now they have all the publishing money they need. If EA ruins their MMO's then they will be out of the MMO market. Try to come up with more of a precise point to why a MMO will fail then a company doesnt care or is trying to buy up it's competition pretty lame if you ask me.

 

What are you talking about? Activision owns Blizzard, EA had many chances with MMOs, but continues to shuffle boxes. I suggest you re-read the first post.

ERTS is EA, ATVI is Activision.

"WoW was a lightning bolt through the heart of EA executive management, but rather than energize the company, it paralyzed them into their stubborn resolve."

Now I know you are clueless.  Activision doesn't own Blizzard.  Vivendi Owns Blizzard and they now own Activision. 
 

 

You are wrong. Activision MERGED with Vivendi who owns Blizzard. A merger is where 2 companies come together and become one and manage all assets as one.

Activision MERGED with Vivendi who owned blizzard.

The new company is called Activision Blizzard and is ran by Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

Though Vivendi is the biggest shareholder in the merger, Activision runs it.

 

So that being said Activision owns blizzard, through a merger with Vivendi.

 

Which pretty much makes you the clueless one.

Wrong (Activision merged with Vivendi Games, not with Vivendi SA)
Vivendi had a game division called Vivendi games, which owned Blizzard.
Vivendi Games and Activision merged together, with Vivendi getting the 51% of the shares, therefore the new Vivendi game division it's called Activision-Blizzard (Vivendi Games disappeared).
The CeO of Activision-Blizzard work for Vivendi, doesn't matter if he used to be Activision CeO, that company doesn't exist anymore, Vivendi can fire him.

Vivendi in fact own Activision-Blizzard.
Vivendi, which own Universal Studios,  is one of the biggest entertaining company in the World with business in Movies, Music and Games, and Activision-Blizzard it's one of it's division.

screw it

Lol Sempiternal.

Originally posted by skydragonren

Originally posted by ste2000

Wrong
Vivendi had a game division called Vivendi games, which owned Blizzard.
Vivendi Games and Activision merged together, with Vivendi getting the 51% of the shares, therefore the new Vivendi game division it's called Activision-Blizzard (Vivendi Games disappeared).
The CeO of Activision-Blizzard work for Vivendi, doesn't matter if he used to be Activision CeO, that company doesn't exist anymore.

Vivendi in fact own Activision-Blizzard.
Vivendi, which own Universal Studios,  is one of the biggest entertaining company in the World with business in Movies, Music and Games, and Activision Blizzard it's one of it's division.

 

I don't know why it is so hard to get.

July 10, 2008 -- Paris, France and Santa Monica, CA - Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced the completion of the transaction announced on December 2, 2007 to create Activision Blizzard, as the world's most profitable pure-play online and console game publisher. Activision Blizzard was formed by combining Activision, one of the world's leading independent publishers of interactive entertainment, and Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, which includes Blizzard Entertainment's® World of Warcraft®, the world's #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Activision Blizzard will continue to operate as a public company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker ATVI.

This is what we are talking about right here.

In comparison to a graph on the first page of this thread with ERTS and ATVI.

Where Vivendi Games and Activsion were merged into Activision Blizzard. I do not know how much you know about company trades, but when 2 companies merge in this way, they are considered equal which is why they have a merged name. They are traded on the NASDAQ as a public company Activision Blizzard a seperate entity from Vivendi all together.

Sorry but are you blind or what? read my statement and then the red marked text, then tell me who is the fool..................
Can't you understand that Vivendi Games was not the same as Vivendi or is it too difficult to understand?
Vivendi is much bigger than Activision (have you heard of Universal Studios? Guess who own them).
Vivendi SA owns 51% of Activision-Blizzard, so it is one of their company, like Sony Pictures is a company of Sony, very simple really.

Originally posted by skydragonren

Originally posted by ste2000

Originally posted by skydragonren

Originally posted by Cabe2323

Now I know you are clueless.  Activision doesn't own Blizzard.  Vivendi Owns Blizzard and they now own Activision. 
 

 

You are wrong. Activision MERGED with Vivendi who owns Blizzard. A merger is where 2 companies come together and become one and manage all assets as one.

Activision MERGED with Vivendi who owned blizzard.

The new company is called Activision Blizzard and is ran by Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

Though Vivendi is the biggest shareholder in the merger, Activision runs it.

 

So that being said Activision owns blizzard, through a merger with Vivendi.

 

Which pretty much makes you the clueless one.

 

Wrong
Vivendi had a game division called Vivendi games, which owned Blizzard.
Vivendi Games and Activision merged together, with Vivendi getting the 51% of the shares, therefore the new Vivendi game division it's called Activision-Blizzard (Vivendi Games disappeared).
The CeO of Activision-Blizzard work for Vivendi, doesn't matter if he used to be Activision CeO, that company doesn't exist anymore.

Vivendi in fact own Activision-Blizzard.
Vivendi, which own Universal Studios,  is one of the biggest entertaining company in the World with business in Movies, Music and Games, and Activision Blizzard it's one of it's division.

 

I don't know why it is so hard to get.

July 10, 2008 -- Paris, France and Santa Monica, CA - Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced the completion of the transaction announced on December 2, 2007 to create Activision Blizzard, as the world's most profitable pure-play online and console game publisher. Activision Blizzard was formed by combining Activision, one of the world's leading independent publishers of interactive entertainment, and Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, which includes Blizzard Entertainment's® World of Warcraft®, the world's #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Activision Blizzard will continue to operate as a public company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker ATVI.

This is what we are talking about right here.

In comparison to a graph on the first page of this thread with ERTS and ATVI.

Where Vivendi Games and Activsion were merged into Activision Blizzard. I do not know how much you know about company trades, but when 2 companies merge in this way, they are considered equal which is why they have a merged name. They are traded on the NASDAQ as a public company Activision Blizzard a seperate entity from Vivendi all together.

*Edit - Here is the important parts you need to pay attention to.

(Euronext Paris: VIV) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) <--- ATVI Activision trade ticker before merger....

Activision Blizzard will continue to operate as a public company traded on Nasdaq

under the ticker ATVI. <--- ATVI Activision trade ticker after the merger.....

 

This was the point Semp was trying to make to you two.

 

Structure and Terms of the Transaction

Under the terms of the agreement, Vivendi Games merged with a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision and shares of Vivendi Games were converted into approximately 295.3 million new shares of Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi purchased approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash, resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares outstanding.

Originally posted by sempiternal

As for this latest Warhammer 'offer' via Mythic, even a simple Google fight is representative of the misdirection, while a proven online market and franchise is allowed to dwindle to nothing:

Ultima Game franchise versus Warhammer Game franchise

What is that? Is it a GOOGLEFIGHT LINK? From the OP's post? FIrst one in the set? And if you look, isnt it the FIRST piece of evidence given?

Seriously, NASDAQ is nothing more then an excuse if you thought of this first.

I rest my case.

go ahead... no one will stop you (though we will look at you funny, and walk away slowly hoping you dont notice).

Okay, we give up!

EA =