Activision Blizzard, Inc.
Acquisitions
3
Major Deals Covered
$5.9B
Disclosed Deal Value
Activision Blizzard's largest disclosed acquisition here is King Digital Entertainment for $5.9B in 2016. This page covers 3 major deals from 2016 to 2022, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Digital Entertainment | 2016 | $5.9B | Add a mobile free-to-play games business led by Candy Crush to the console and PC portfolio. |
| Digital Legends Entertainment | 2021 | Undisclosed | Add a Barcelona-based mobile game development studio to Activision. |
| Proletariat, Inc. | 2022 | Undisclosed | Expand Blizzard's World of Warcraft development capacity. |
2022
Expand Blizzard's World of Warcraft development capacity.
The studio added 100 employees to Blizzard Entertainment.
Blizzard officially welcomed Proletariat to the World of Warcraft development team; terms were not disclosed.
2021
Add a Barcelona-based mobile game development studio to Activision.
Digital Legends joined work on mobile titles in the Call of Duty franchise.
Activision announced the completed acquisition on October 28, 2021; terms were not disclosed.
2016
$5.9B
Add a mobile free-to-play games business led by Candy Crush to the console and PC portfolio.
King became Activision Blizzard's mobile operating unit.
The acquisition closed on February 23, 2016 for $18 per share and a total equity value of $5.9 billion.
Microsoft describes the acquisition as supporting a multi-device gaming strategy across console, PC, mobile, subscription, and cloud distribution. In the first year after closing, Microsoft added Activision Blizzard titles including Diablo IV and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III to Game Pass and expanded cloud availability.
Before the Microsoft acquisition, Activision Blizzard earned revenue from premium game sales, downloadable content, in-game purchases, subscriptions, mobile advertising, and licensing. Its FY2022 filing reported $5.886 billion from in-game, subscription, and other revenue and $1.642 billion from product sales. After the acquisition, the portfolio also supports Microsoft distribution through Xbox, Game Pass, PC stores, and cloud gaming.
Activision Blizzard completed the King Digital Entertainment acquisition in 2016 for a total equity value of $5.9 billion.
Yes. Activision announced the acquisition of the Barcelona-based mobile developer in October 2021; terms were not disclosed.
No. Microsoft was the buyer, so that transaction is part of Activision Blizzard's ownership history rather than its acquisitions list.
Microsoft officially acquired Activision Blizzard in a historic $68.7 billion transaction, closing the deal in late 2023 to aggressively expand its Xbox Game Pass ecosystem.
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