NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Let the games begin.

Activision Inc shareholders Tuesday are expected to approve a merger with Vivendi Games that will allow the deal to close within days and create a new top dog in the fast-growing video gaming world.

The terms of the deal, unveiled in December, valued the new Activision Blizzard at $18.9 billion. Current gaming king Electronic Arts Inc's' market capitalization after Monday's market close stood at $14.1 billion, according to Yahoo Finance.

More important for Wall Street, while EA has been reporting losses, Activision Blizzard, of which Vivendi will own a slight majority, has promised to be the most profitable gaming firm and grow its bottom line at a healthy pace.

"I don't care about who is No. 1 and 2," Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst said. "Earnings growth is what counts for investors."
Source :

PC World - Game Industry Braces for Activision-Vivendi Merger