Activision Blizzard, Inc.
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Founders
Jim Levy, David Crane, Allen Adham, Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce · Founded 2008 · Santa Monica, California
Quick Answer
Activision Blizzard was founded by Jim Levy, David Crane, Allen Adham, Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce in 2008 in Santa Monica, California. The company is currently led by Asha Sharma.
Activision Blizzard's origin is a three-part story. Activision began in 1979 when former Atari developers helped create independent third-party console publishing. Blizzard began in 1991 as Silicon & Synapse, later building Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft. The 2008 Activision-Vivendi transaction created Activision Blizzard, and the 2015 King deal added Candy Crush and mobile scale.
Jim Levy was Activision's first CEO and helped turn former Atari developers into the first major third-party console game publisher.
Jim Levy helped found Activision in 1979 with former Atari developers who wanted creator credit, stronger incentives, and independence from console manufacturers. His early leadership helped define the publisher model that later became standard across the video game industry.
David Crane was one of the former Atari developers behind Activision and became one of the company's defining early game designers.
David Crane helped launch Activision after leaving Atari and became closely associated with early hits such as Pitfall. His role matters because Activision's origin story is tied to developer recognition and the rise of independent console software.
Allen Adham co-founded Silicon & Synapse, the studio that later became Blizzard Entertainment.
Allen Adham co-founded Blizzard's predecessor in 1991 with Michael Morhaime and Frank Pearce. The studio's focus on polish, iteration, and replayable systems helped shape Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and later World of Warcraft.
Michael Morhaime co-founded Blizzard and later served as a central leader during the rise of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft.
Michael Morhaime helped build Blizzard into one of the most respected PC game studios, known for long development cycles, high polish, and loyal communities.
Frank Pearce co-founded Blizzard's predecessor and helped build the technical and creative foundation behind Blizzard's early franchises.
Frank Pearce was part of Blizzard's founding team and helped establish the studio culture behind Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, Battle.net, and World of Warcraft.
Asha Sharma
CEO, Microsoft Gaming / Xbox
Leads Microsoft's gaming business, including Xbox studios and the Activision, Blizzard, and King portfolio.
Matt Booty
EVP and Chief Content Officer, Microsoft Gaming
Oversees Microsoft's gaming content organization across Xbox, Bethesda, Activision Blizzard, and King studios.
Rob Kostich
President, Activision
Leads Activision Publishing and the Call of Duty business inside the broader Microsoft-owned portfolio.
Johanna Faries
President, Blizzard Entertainment
Leads Blizzard Entertainment after the Microsoft acquisition, with a focus on Blizzard's communities, franchises, and studio culture.
Bobby Kotick
Former CEO, Activision Blizzard
Built Activision Blizzard through acquisitions, franchise management, and the eventual sale to Microsoft.
Mike Morhaime
Co-founder and former CEO, Blizzard Entertainment
Helped establish Blizzard's creative culture and leadership during the rise of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft.
Activision was founded in 1979 by Jim Levy and former Atari developers including David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller, and Bob Whitehead.
Blizzard began in 1991 as Silicon & Synapse, founded by Allen Adham, Michael Morhaime, and Frank Pearce.
Activision Blizzard was created through the 2008 transaction combining Activision and Vivendi Games, the owner of Blizzard Entertainment.
They helped establish third-party console publishing, developer credit, and a model that later shaped the entire games industry.
They built Blizzard's polish-heavy design culture and franchises such as Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and World of Warcraft.