Kotick: Tencent a 'passive investor' in Activision Blizzard buyback
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick stated in an early-morning conference call that Tencent's participation in the buyback from Vivendi is merely a sign of the company's "enthusiasm." Within last night's announcement of Activsion Blizzard's $8 billion buyback from Vivendi, it was noted that a group of investors led by CEO Bobby Kotick will own a 24.9 percent stake in the newly independent company. Tencent, a Chinese company with extreme amounts of cash and fingers in many, many video game pies, was listed in the group.
"As far as Tencent, you know, I think their investment just confirms the enthusiasm we have in our partnership for Call of Duty in China. They do not have a board seat. They are a passive investor and I think it was largely as a result for the enthusiasm we're doing together," said Kotick on this morning's call.
Kotick also mentioned later that this group he leads and Tencent is a part of (ASAC II LP) doesn't have any rights to nominate board members.
Tencent currently owns League of Legends developer Riot Games and nearly half of Epic Games (and its ubiquitous Unreal Engine). As for those pies we mentioned, they come in Electronic Arts FIFA and Take-Two NBA flavors.
