According to an article in today's Metro, Microsoft will not be purchasing Vivendi Games afterall.
Student Fakes Report of Microsoft Buyout
Microsoft Corp. and news network CNN said they were hit buy a hoax yesterday after a faked Web page wrongly reported that the software giant had agreed to buy the video game operations of French conglomerate Vivendi Universal. The hoax Web site, which Purdue University in Indiana confirmed came from its Internet address, was designed to look like a CNN report and circulated on the Web among video game industry watchers yesterday.The student who put up the site was identified and referred to the university's dean of students for possible disciplinary action, the spokeswoman said. It was unclear whether Microsoft or CNN plan to press charges or take any other legal action.
Since Blizzard is a part of Vivendi Games and has been making a move into the console market, I'm glad this rumor turned out to be false. I'd hate to have to buy an Xbox in order to play Ghost.