8 0 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁the ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁unit ▁to ▁General ▁Electric ▁to ▁form ▁N BC ▁Universal ▁( mer ging ▁G E ' s ▁N BC ▁unit ▁and ▁Viv endi ' s ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁unit ) ▁and ▁the ▁grad ual ▁recovery ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁from ▁its ▁dis astr ous ▁over - exp ansion ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s . ▁The ▁company ▁announced ▁that ▁share hold ers ▁had ▁approved ▁the ▁name ▁change ▁to ▁" V iv endi ". ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Viv endi ▁signed ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁Sp ir alf rog ▁to ▁dist ribute ▁Viv endi ' s ▁songs ▁online ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Canada . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁September , ▁the ▁company ▁announced ▁that ▁Sierra ▁Entertainment ▁would ▁be ▁publishing ▁the ▁new ▁game ▁for ▁Double ▁Fine ▁Produ ctions , ▁later ▁revealed ▁to ▁be ▁Br üt al ▁Leg end . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Viv endi ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁mer ging ▁its ▁game ▁publishing ▁unit ▁with ▁Activ ision ▁in ▁a ▁$ 1 8 . 8 ▁billion ▁deal . ▁This ▁will ▁allow ▁the ▁merged ▁company , ▁Activ ision ▁Bl izz ard , ▁to ▁rival ▁Electron ic ▁Arts , ▁the ▁world ' s ▁biggest ▁video ▁games ▁publish er . ▁The ▁mer ger ▁closed ▁on ▁ 9 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁for ▁$ 9 . 8 ▁billion . ▁Viv endi ▁held ▁a ▁