The French telecoms company raised $427m from the sale, which reduces its holding in the world's largest video game publisher to 60%.

The move follows the organisation agreeing last week to pay Citigroup $1.9bn for EMI Music's assets prompting speculation that the company has been stretched by the purchase.

However, Vivendi denied rumours the sale was linked to the EMI deal, with the Financial Times reporting that the disposal was tactical and was to do with improving the company's "overall ...