Majority of Activision Blizzard to be bought by Microsoft?

Activision Blizzard is one of the big names of the gaming world. Successful franchises such as Call of Duty, Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft have made that happen. Vivendi, the company with the largest stake in the publisher is reportedly thinking of selling off its interest in Activision Blizzard.

Reuters reports, via unnamed sources, that Vivendi has made some unofficial inquires with a bank to look into selling its 60 percent stake in Activision Blizzard. The unnamed bank is also reportedly looking at companies with enough cash that could purchase Vivendi's shares. One of the companies mentioned, was Microsoft, who already has a pretty big game publishing business of its own with franchises like Halo, Forza Motorsport, Flight Simulator, and others. Don't forget the company's massive Xbox console business too.

Other possible candidates include Time Warner, which owns Warner Bros Interactive, and China's Tencent. Private equity firms like Providence, KKR and Blackstone might also have the interest and the cash to buy Vivendi's shares.