"$11 Billion Merger Plan Would Join HFS and CUC".
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"CUC Will Buy 2 Software Companies for $1.8 Billion". Many of Vivendi Games' properties were later dropped by Activision, citing that they would not make for a good fit for the company's long-term strategy. Bruce Hack, who served as chief executive officer of Vivendi Games, became vice-chairman and chief corporate officer of the new company. The deal was approved by Activision's shareholders on July 8, 2008, and the merger was finalized on July 10, creating Activision Blizzard while dissolving Vivendi Games. In December 2007, American publisher Activision announced a proposed merger deal with Vivendi Games that would create a new holding company named Activision Blizzard.
The same day, the company opened a mobile games division known as Vivendi Universal Games Mobile. On March 3, 2006, Vivendi Universal announced they would be dropping the "Universal" part of their name. When Vivendi Universal sold all of its media operations to General Electric in October 2003, Vivendi Universal held on to Vivendi Universal Games, which was re-organized as a direct division of the conglomerate. On November 13, 2001, both parts were streamlined under the name Vivendi Universal Games. Under the new name, the company was split into two parts: Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing North America and Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing International, both of which took responsibility for their respective publishing regions. The new name was likely due to the merger between Universal and Vivendi, the company would also receive IP's and ownership of properties from Universal Interactive Studios. On May 16, 2001, Havas Interactive was renamed Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing, while its direct parent, Havas, became Vivendi Universal Publishing. Subsequently, the division was renamed Havas Interactive. On November 20, 1998, French media company Havas announced that it would acquire Cendant Software for $800 million in cash and up to $200 million contingent on the performance of Cendant Software. As a result of the merger, CUC Software was renamed Cendant Software.
The merger was finalized in December that year and created Cendant. On May 28, 1997, CUC International announced plans to merge with Hospitality Franchise Systems to create a single, "one-stop" entity. In April 1997, CUC International acquired Berkeley Systems for an undisclosed sum. Christopher McLeod, an executive vice-president for CUC International, took over CUC Software in Bob Davidson's place. On February 10, Davidson announced that he had stepped down from his positions at CUC Software, and that his wife, Jan, ceased as president of Davidson & Associates, while both Davidsons stayed on CUC International's board of directors. The acquisition was completed on February 3, 1997. On November 5 that year, CUC International announced that they would additionally acquire Knowledge Adventure, another developer, in a stock deal valued between $50 million and US$100 million. Bod Davidson, co-founder of Davidson & Associates, became chairman and chief executive of the new establishment. Under that new umbrella, both Davidson & Associates and Sierra On-Line would act independently from CUC International. Subsequently, following the acquisitions, CUC International established CUC Software around the Torrance, California-based operations of Davidson & Associates to oversee the new video game properties. CUC International previously only operated membership shopping clubs, wherefore analysts were surprised by the company's move into the software industry. On February 21, 1996, CUC International announced its intention to acquire Davidson & Associates (including Blizzard Entertainment) and Sierra On-Line, two American video game companies, in a US$1.8 billion stock swap.