As is often the case when a studio prepares to embark in new creative and business directions, representatives from Activision Blizzard report that staff and project cuts are anticipated.

Develop reports that Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick spoke to Variety about the newly-merged industry giant's future plans. "We have a very good view into which products are going to have the prospects for profits that we look for," said Kotick. "Which ones have the margin potential that is important to us, which can be sequeled, which have worldwide distribution potential... If projects or business units don't [meet] our requirements for return to our shareholders and our profitability and operating margin targets consistent with our historical performance, they won't likely be retained."

"We are in large part using the Activision organization as a backbone," said Activision Blizzard COO Bruce Hack, formerly head of Vivendi. "We will strengthen that backbone with employees and processes from Vivendi Games. At the same time, there will be a number of people at Vivendi Games who are going to be terminated."

Hack was frank in admitting that "there are some very good assets that may not meet the hurdle," and if the newly-formed conglomerate doesn't consider up to par, such projects will most likely be "divested or closed down."

All staff will be notified as to the status of their employment with Activision Blizzard within 30 days, according to Develop.