Nolan Bushnell couldn't help showing a wry smile when he received the takeover offer from Sunbird.
He never imagined that the intern who used to intern at Atari would actually buy Atari instead!
Subsequently, Nolan Bushnell convened a shareholders meeting to discuss the issue.
"Sunbird has officially launched a takeover offer to Atari. Do you have any suggestions?" Nolan Bushnell asked.
When everyone heard this, their expressions were very surprised.
Immediately, someone asked, "Bushnell, how much is Sunbird going to spend to acquire Atari?"
"$23 million..." Nolan Bushnell replied.
"Oh, Warner Bros. is only willing to give $20 million, we can make $3 million more! Nolan Bushnell, I agree to negotiate with Sunbird, maybe we can get more!"
"I agree too!"
"… "
Shareholders present expressed their support.
Atari is facing the crisis of breaking the capital chain at the moment, and there is a strong rise of the competitor Sunbird. The shareholders naturally hope to throw away this hot potato as soon as possible. If it falls into their own hands, it will lose a lot. .
Nolan Bushnell is a person who really likes making games. He actually admires Li Zetian very much in his heart, and is more inclined to sell Atari to Sunbird. Warner Bros. is a film and television company and has no experience in operating and developing games. Nolan Bushnell is actually very worried that after Atari is sold to Warner Bros., a layman will guide an expert and cause Atari to go bankrupt. Terrible result. Nolan Bushnell would definitely not have contacted Warner Bros. if Atari was in desperate need of funds unless it was a last resort...
At this moment, seeing that everyone had decided to negotiate with Sunbird, Nolan Bushnell couldn't help but nodded, and then said, "Okay, then as everyone said, accept Sunbird's negotiation invitation!
After the meeting, Nolan Bushnell called Sunbird and agreed to negotiate the next day.
Li Zetian laughed in Wu Guangguang's office, "As expected, Atari is willing to accept our takeover offer!"
Wu Guangguang also laughed and said: "After the annexation of Atari, Sunbird is the United States, not... the world's largest game company! Atari's arcade and home game console technology belongs to us, just right It fills the shortcomings of Sunbird in these two places!"
"Yes, after all, Sunbird has insufficient background, and the hardware technology is far from Atari. However, from the annexation of Atari by Sunbird, we can draw a conclusion: that is, only those who can do Only companies that produce good games will stand at the end! In other words, games are the company's most core competitiveness. If Sunbird cannot produce excellent games in the future, there will be a day when Sunbird will step up to Yada. In the footsteps of Li company, it was acquired by other companies!"
Seeing that Wu Guangguang was a little proud, Li Zetian said these words and beat him. In fact, Li Zetian's words can be called the most reasonable words in the game industry.
Wu Guangguang heard the words and knew that Li Zetian was warning him, nodded and said, "I see, Mr.li, I will keep Sunbird always innovating and make better games!"
"Um!"
…
At about 10 am the next day, Nolan Bushnell came to Atari with two executive directors of Atari.
Li Zetian and Wu Guangguang had been waiting for a long time, and when they learned that they were coming, they immediately greeted them.
The two sides simply greeted each other and then came to the reception room.
Li Zetian's eyes stared at Nolan Bushnell and others like eagles, and he asked directly: "Mr. Nolan Bushnell, I wonder if the Atari board of directors accepts the acquisition conditions of Sunbird?"
The two executive directors on Atari's side didn't dare to look at Li Zetian's sharp eyes. At the beginning of the negotiation, they lost their momentum.
Seeing this, Nolan Bushnell couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
"Mr. Li, don't you think it's too cheap to buy Atari for $23 million?"
"Cheap? I think $23 million is too expensive. This is already a premium acquisition!" Li Zetian said lightly, "I believe everyone should understand the current situation of Atari, so I won't go into details. Right now, Warner Bros. and Sunbird wants to buy Atari, but how can a media company that makes movies, TV, records and books run a good game company? Do they understand the essence of a game company? They understand the interest of teenagers in games ?I think they only know how to use Atari to make money... If Atari is merged into Sunbird, it will be different! Sunbird is a dynamic and energetic game company, and our employees are all A group of young people who develop games for fun, not for the money. Mr. Nolan Bushnell, do you remember when you started Atari?"
After listening to this, Nolan Bushnell's face changed slightly. Warner Bros. said that after the acquisition of Atari, it will be replaced by Ray Casal as chairman. Ray Casal once operated Egyptian underwear factory, the production of high-end underwear is impeccable. However, the lingerie businessman has no idea what the teens are interested in games, his electronics knowledge comes only from out-of-date Scientific American magazines, and he especially hates his management style at Atari, believing that discipline is lax and fundamental Unlike a formal company, Ray Cassar said that once he took office, he would first hire graduates from Harvard Business School and other prestigious universities to replace Atari's entire management team. But Nolan Bushnell understands that if he does, many of the best game designers will leave Atari, leading to a serious brain drain.
The management style of Sunbird Company is almost the same as that of Atari Company. After all, Li Zetian has interned from Atari Company, and they are from the same lineage. After the merger of the two companies, they will naturally be able to integrate well.
Nolan Bushnell pondered for a minute or two, and finally made a decision, "I can accept the conditions of the Sunbird, but I have to make one more condition!" he said.
"What conditions?" Li Zetian asked.
"Me and other employees must be hired long-term, and no Atari employee must be fired for three years if they don't make a big mistake!"
"I thought it was a condition, but it turned out to be this. Okay, I agree!" Li Zetian replied with a smile.
Atari is full of talented people. Nolan Bushnell has been collecting top designers and engineers in the game industry since 1971. Whoever gets caught in the head will fire Atari employees? No, Warner Bros. did this stupid thing!
On the same day, Sunbird happily acquired Atari, and the two parties signed an acquisition agreement.
After signing, Nolan Bushnell was relieved and very excited at the same time. Atari will be a subsidiary of Sunbird from now on. Li Zetian said that he will fully support Atari in the development of the second generation of home game consoles. At the same time, the four games of Sunbird will be transplanted to Atari. Arcade and Home-Pong family consoles!
Back at the company, Nolan Bushnell happened to bump into a Warner Bros. negotiator.
Ray Casal asked in a condescending tone, "Nolan Bushnell, what are you thinking about? Please don't waste any more time, give me an answer right away!!!"
"Okay, Mr. Ray Casal, then I'll give you an answer right away!" Nolan Bushnell paused and said coldly, "My answer is, you can get out!!!"