Who owned Blizzard before Microsoft?
Who owned Activision Blizzard before?
Who sold Blizzard to Activision?
Who owned Activision?
…
Activision.
| Headquarters in Santa Monica in 2008 | |
|---|---|
| Parent | Activision, Inc. (2000–2008) Activision Blizzard (2008–present) |
| Subsidiaries | See § Studios |
| Website | activision.com |
Is Activision Blizzard bought by Microsoft?
Is Activision and Activision Blizzard the same company?
After several years of rapid expansion through acquisitions of smaller game developers, Activision merged with Blizzard Entertainment in 2008 to create Activision Blizzard, forming one of the world’s largest video game companies.
Who is the CEO of Activision Blizzard?
Why did Activision sell to Microsoft?
Why did Microsoft buy Activision Blizzard?
Did Activision separate from Blizzard?
Who is the founder of Activision?
Who founded Blizzard Entertainment?
How much did Activision Blizzard sell in 2014?
In 2014, Activision Blizzard was the fifth largest gaming company by revenue worldwide, with total assets of US$14.746 billion and total equity estimated at US$7.513 billion.
When did Blizzard join the S&P 500?
Activision Blizzard joined the S&P 500 on August 28, 2015, becoming one of only two companies on the list related to gaming, alongside Electronic Arts. The company released the next iteration of the Skylanders franchise in September 2015, which added vehicles to the “toys to life” category.
When did Activision acquire Mediagenic?
In 1991 , Bobby Kotick and a group of investors had acquired the failing Mediagenic, the company that Activision had become from former leadership. Kotick instituted a large restructuring to pull the company out of debt, including renaming the company as Activision and moving it to Santa Monica, California.
Did Kotick cede Activision?
According to those close to Kotick, Kotick was concerned about this offer as it would force him to cede control of Activision. However, after talking to Blizzard’s CEO Mike Morhaime, Kotick recognized that Vivendi would be able to give them inroads into the growing video game market in China.
When did Activision merge with Activision?
The European Commission permitted the merger to take place in April 2008, approving that there weren’t any antitrust issues in the merger deal. On July 8, 2008, Activision announced that stockholders had agreed to merge, and the deal closed the next day for an estimated transaction amount of US$18.9 billion.
Does Activision publish games?
Activision Blizzard does not publish games under its central name and instead uses the Activision Publishing subsidiary and its studios to publish games. In early 2010, the independent studio Bungie entered into a 10-year publishing agreement with Activision Blizzard. By the end of 2010, Activision Blizzard was the largest video games publisher in the world. The 2011 release of Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time. It was also the third consecutive year the Call of Duty series broke the biggest launch record; 2010’s Call of Duty: Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; and 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million. Call of Duty: Black Ops III grossed $550 million in worldwide sales during its opening weekend in 2015, making it the biggest entertainment launch of the year.
When did Activision join the S&P 500?
S&P 500 and new divisions (2015–present) Activision Blizzard joined the S&P 500 on August 28, 2015, becoming one of only two companies on the list related to gaming, alongside Electronic Arts.
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When was Activision founded?
Activision has long dominated the video game market as a successful publisher and developer of games across console, mobile and PC.
Who owns Blizzard?
Blizzard Entertainment, best known for developing the overwhelmingly popular massively multiplayer online role playing game, World of Warcraft, merged with Activision when the company announced a deal with Vivendi Games in 2008.
Will Activision games become Xbox exclusives under Microsoft?
While full details surrounding the acquisition of Activision by Microsoft are still to come, Tuesday’s announcement by Microsoft noted that Candy Crush, Call of Duty, and more of Activision’s landmark franchises are set to be included in the multi-billion dollar deal.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is not seen as a sure thing by the market
Justin loves covering stocks across all industries, but his heart is in high-growth technology. He’s been a student of the market for more than a decade. Stocks are his second love to his wife and kids, which is how he spends his free time.
What happens if the deal fails?
In the price chart below, you can see how the stock spiked in early January on the news of the deal. The stock had been selling off before that, primarily due to controversy around the company’s management team and alleged misconduct in the workplace.
Is the risk worth the reward?
This is the question that investors ultimately need to answer for themselves. If the deal does close, buying the stock at $80 today gives you a potential 18.7% gain at the $95 per share acquisition price. If the deal falters, the downside is unknown because we cannot predict price action.
It’s “business as usual” while the deal goes through
A filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission answered some basic questions about the impact of the buyout: That it “remains business as usual” with both companies operating independently until the deal is done, and that immediately layoffs aren’t anticipated.
The industry reacts
Reaction from the industry was fast and furious. Microsoft executives were naturally upbeat—Xbox general manager Aaron Greenberg said he was “proud of the team we have here at Xbox/Microsoft—while the ABK Workers Alliance was more cautious:
Bobby Kotick will reportedly leave Activision Blizzard
While Kotick’s post-acquisition status still hasn’t been confirmed, sources told the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg that he’s expected to step down once the deal is closed.
Will the acquisition meet regulatory approval? It looks that way
The scope of the deal means it will be scrutinized carefully by regulatory bodies, and approval is not a done deal. That said, the general feeling is that it will be given the green light.
Phil Spencer wants to bring back the games he loved as a kid
For some gaming old-timers, a more pressing question than Microsoft’s plans for Activision Blizzard’s biggest games is what it has in mind for the classics. On that front, the news is potentially better.
Raven QA workers form the first union at a major North American game studio
Striking Raven Software QA workers voted to form a landmark union last week, supported by the ABK Workers Alliance and the Communications Workers of America.
The World Bank doesn’t approve
The World Bank, an international financial organization that provides loans and grants to poor countries, is not involved in the regulatory process, but even so World Bank president David Malpass does not approve of the deal.
Halo
The sci-fi shooter series has always been a Microsoft-owned, Xbox-exclusive franchise. But if only for posterity’s sake, it’s worth pointing out the company owns and controls this blockbuster intellectual property, just as strong and relevant with the launch of Halo Infinite as it was when Halo: Combat Evolved debuted 20 years ago.
Gears of War
Likewise an Xbox/Windows PC exclusive, Cliff Bleszinski’s Gears of War franchise was owned by Epic Games until Microsoft bought the property in early 2014.
Minecraft
Xbox’s first big acquisition of a games franchise that was not exclusive to its platforms was for Minecraft and its maker, Sweden-based Mojang, seven months after the Gears of War deal went through.
Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, Doom
Wolfenstein’s B.J. Blazkowicz joins Master Chief and Pitfall Harry as hall-of-fame video game heroes with, now, the same corporate overlord.
And now: Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, Warcraft, plus much more
Tracer, the face of Blizzard Entertainment’s newest franchise, will return for Overwatch 2.
Overview
History
The original Activision company was founded in 1979, as a third-party developer for games on the Atari Video Computer System. In 1988 the company expanded into non-gaming software and renamed itself Mediagenic. This venture was not successful, incurring heavy losses. In 1991 a group of investors led by Bobby Kotickbought the company. Kotick instituted a large restructuring to reduce de…
Corporate structure
Activision Blizzard is divided into three key business segments:
• Activision Publishing, which handles the development, production, and distribution of video games from its subsidiary studios.
• Blizzard Entertainment, which handles the development, production, and distribution of Blizzard’s games. It also houses the company’s esports activities including MLG and the Overwatch League.
Esports initiatives
Activision Blizzard owns the Call of Duty and StarCraft franchises, both of which have been popular as esports. On October 21, 2015, Activision Blizzard announced the upcoming establishment of a new e-sports division. Named Activision Blizzard Media Networks, the division is led by sports executive Steve Bornstein and Major League Gaming (MLG) co-founder Mike Sepso, with assets from the acquisition of the now defunct IGN Pro League. Bornstein was appointed the new divisi…
Call of Duty Endowment
Since 2009, when CEO Kotick launched Call of Duty Endowment (CODE), over 50,000 veterans have been placed in high-quality jobs. In 2013 CODE started the “Seal of Distinction” program, which recognizes non-profit organizations that are successful in placing veterans in good jobs. Winners receive a $30,000 grant to use in their veteran job placement activities. The goal of CODE is to help 100,000 US and UK veterans find high-quality jobs by 2024. The endowment helps soldiers t…
Products
• List of Activision games
• List of Blizzard Entertainment games
Other legal disputes
Worlds, Inc. was issued several United States patents around 2009 related to “System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space”, which generally described a method of server/client communications for multiplayer video games, where players would communicate through avatars. In early 2009, Worlds, Inc. stated its intent to challenge publishers and developers of MMOs, naming Activision as one of its intended targets. Worlds, Inc. had already challenged N…
See also
• Lists of video game companies
• List of video game publishers