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1、课后答案网，用心为你服务！www.khdaw.comUNITTWOTEXTONEThebrideandgroom,aguitar-wieldingrockvixenandamuscle-ripplingdragon-slayer,makeanoddcouple—soitishardlysurprisingthatnobodyexpectedtheirmarriage.ButonDecember2ndthevideo-gamecompaniesbehind“GuitarHero”and“WorldofWarcraft”,ActivisionandViven
2、diGamesrespectively,announcedplansforanelaboratemerger.Vivendi,aFrenchmediagroup,willpoolitsgamesunit,plus$1.7billionincash,withActivision;thecombinedentitywillthenoffertobuybacksharesfromActivisionshareholders,raisingVivendi'sstakeintheresultingfirmtoasmuchas68%.Activision'sboss
3、,BobbyKotick,willremainatthehelmofthenewcompany,tobeknownasActivisionBlizzardinrecognitionofVivendi'smaingamingasset:itssubsidiaryBlizzardEntertainment,thefirmbehind“WorldofWarcraft”,anonlineswords-and-sorcerygamewith9.3msubscribers.Thedealwasunexpected,butmakesexcellentstrategic
4、sense,saysPiersHarding-RollsofScreenDigest,aconsultancy.Activisionhaslongcoveted“WorldofWarcraft”,andVivendigetsabiggergamesdivisionandActivision'stalentedmanagementteamtorunit.Aswellasmakingsenseforbothparties,the$18.9billiondeal—thebiggesteverinthevideo-gamesindustry—saysalotab
5、outthetrendsnowshapingthebusiness.Thefirstisapushintonewmarkets,especiallyonlinemultiplayergames,whichareparticularlypopularinAsia,and“casual”gamesthatappealtopeoplewhodonotregardthemselvesasgamers.“WorldofWarcraft”istheworld'smostpopularonlinesubscription-basedgameandishugelyluc
6、rative.Blizzardwillhaverevenuesof$1.1billionthisyearandoperatingprofitsof$520m.“WorldofWarcraft”isreally“asocialnetworkwithmanyentertainmentcomponents,”saysMrKotick.Similarly,heargues,“GuitarHero”andothergamesthatusenewkindsofcontroller,ratherthantheusualbuttonsandjoysticks,arebr
7、oadeningtheappealofgamingbyemphasisingitssocialaspects,sincetheyareeasytopickupandcanbeplayedwithfriends.Socialgaming,saysMrKotick,is“themostpowerfultrend”buildingnewaudiencesfortheindustry.HeisclearlyexcitedattheprospectofusingBlizzard'sexpertisetolaunchanonlineversionof“GuitarH
8、ero”forAsianmarkets.Onlinemusicgamessuch
