Vivendi has finally agreed to sell its entertainment business - including Universal Studios and Vivendi Universal Games - to General Electric in a multi-billion dollar deal.
The deal will see the media assets of the company being merged with General Electric’s own media division, NBC, in a move which will create one of the largest media companies in the world.
Specifics of what will happen to the various divisions of the company following the sale are as yet unclear; it’s thought that General Electric may seek to sell off some assets, such as the Universal theme parks business. No comment has been made as yet on the future of the games division.
The deal values Vivendi’s entertainment and media companies at around $14 billion, and will see GE taking an 80 per cent stake in the newly merged media empire, while Vivendi continues to hold 20 per cent. The new NBC Universal conglomerate will be worth some $43 billion.
Source: Gameindustry.biz
