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Making its debut during the Vikings vs Jets game, this trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops emphasizes what players can look forward to experiencing in the single player campaign. It's clear that it takes a certain kind of personality to become a black ops soldier running risky covert missions that will all be disavowed by the government. Players will have a chance to find out if they have what it takes when the game releases on November 9th.

Download HD Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Single Player' Trailer (85 MB)
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The classic Sierra Online-published Space Quest adventure games are no strangers to the DRM-free web site GoG.com. The site is already home to a bundle that collects the fourth, fifth and sixth installments of the humorous sci-fi game series. Now GoG.com has announced that the first three Space Quest games are available to purchase and download in a bundle.

The games, now owned by Activision, feature the space janitor Roger Wilco as he tries to fight for "truth, justice and really clean floors.' The first three games in the series were released in 1986, 1987, and 1989, respectively, and were very funny send-ups of sci-fi cliches as well as other events related to pop culture. You can download the Space Quest bundle from GoG.com now for $9.99.

Activision Blizzard has announced its intention to purchase 146,500,000 shares of its own stock at a price of $27.50 per share, reports GamesIndustry.biz. The offer to self-tender the share shares, which translate to approximately 22 per cent of the company, will expire at 5:00 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, August 13, barring any extensions.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, "Activision Blizzard agreed to commence the tender offer within five business days after closing the deal on July 9."

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.

At a not-so-top-secret stockholders meeting earlier today, Activision received the necessary stockholder approval (over 92 per cent) to officially merge with Vivendi Games. The transaction between Activision and Vivendi will officially close on July 9.

According to the official press release, "Activision and Vivendi Games will combine their businesses through the merger of a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision with and into Vivendi Games. As a result of the merger, Vivendi Games, the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment and Sierra, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision."

For in-depth information, please view the official press release.