VIVENDI GAMES
Leisure Suit Larry, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro... Hardly your all-time classic list of franchises. But what about Diablo, Warcraft and StarCraft? With Blizzard firmly within its ranks, Vivendi Games has a huge and rabidly worshipped developer, not to mention a reliably profitable one.
Deeper in Vivendi's portfolio is Sierra, a venerable old name publisher kick-started more than two decades ago in 1979. And, with a respected collection of acquired developers, Vivendi is shaping up to really earn a reputation that might equal that of good old Sierra.
PUBLISHER SCORE: 80%
THE STUDIOS
Blizzard Entertainment | Acquired 1999
Blizzard probably pull in the most cash of all the developers on this list, thanks to the utterly monolithic appeal of World of Warcraft, its world-altering MMO. And, while WoW might be its ongoing project, the recently announced StarCraft II (and the inevitable Diablo III) means Blizzard isn't just a one-trick pony.
Studio score: 91%
Massive Entertainment| Acquired 2005
World in Conflict is, according to one reviewer "the most beautiful game I've ever played" (PC Gamer UK). And with Massive's skill in RTS development illustrated by the Ground Control series, you can be certain there's a great game, and a great studio,behind the great visuals.
Studio score: 85%
Radical Entertainment| Acquired 2005
According to Canadian mag Maclean's, Radical is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers. And, though it is working on the - whisper it - pretty exhausted Crash series, creating Scarface: The World is Yours and Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction must have made Radical an exciting place to be.
Studio score: 75%
Swordfish Studios| Acquired 2005
American gamers might not know Swordfish, but sports fans in the UK ought to know it from Brian Lara's Cricket 2005 or the solid if unremarkable World Championship Rugby series. If all else fails, though, surely you've heard of the much-overlooked Cold Winter? No? Get thee to a bargain bin.
Studio score: 70%
