Activision profit up on 'Kung Fu', 'Guitar Hero'

LOS ANGELES, July 31 (Reuters) - Video game developer Activision Blizzard ATVID.O said on Thursday that sales of "Kung Fu Panda" and "Guitar Hero: On Tour" fueled a rise in profit for the period before its merger with Blizzard.

Excluding results from the games unit of France's Vivendi (VIV.PA), which makes the popular "World of Warcraft" game, Activision had a net income of $59 million, or 18 cents per share, compared with net income of $27.8 million, or 9 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. (Reporting by Jennifer Martinez; editing; editing by Carol Bishopric)