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Vivendi in talks to sell Activision stake - sources

Published: 08:23 09 Jul 2012 EDT

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French media company Vivendi is interested in selling its 60 per cent stake in video games publisher Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) which could raise as much as $10 billion, Reuters reports.

Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) could be among possible bidders as well as China's Tencent.

Vivendi, whose CEO Jean-Bernard Levy stepped down last month, is anxious to prove that it is taking action to address concerns over its huge debt burden and flagging share price.

Activision Blizzard is the world's biggest video games publisher with hit games such as the "Call of Duty" fracnhise.

Activision is not considered to be among Vivdendi's the core businesses and is thought to be the easiest to offload.

Tencent and Activision have already agreed to a partnership that allows the internet and wireless services provider to offer Activision's popular Call of Duty title as a free-to-play online game in China. However, taking full ownership would remain a big
step for Tencent because the two companies have different business models.

Vivendi declined to comment on Activision and its general disposal plans but said that "every option is on the table" and that the board would take its time.

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