All Brands Owned by Activision Blizzard

What does Activision Blizzard own?
Activision Blizzard owns several major gaming franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Hearthstone, StarCraft, Candy Crush Saga, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. The company operates through three studios: Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, and King.

Is Activision Blizzard publicly traded?
No. Activision Blizzard was delisted from NASDAQ in October 2023 following its acquisition by Microsoft Corporation for $68.7 billion. The company previously traded under the ticker symbol ATVI. Investors seeking exposure to Activision Blizzard's business can do so through Microsoft Corporation, which trades on NASDAQ under MSFT.

Who founded Activision Blizzard?
Activision Blizzard was formed in 2008 through the merger of Activision and Vivendi Games. Activision was originally founded in 1979 by a group of Atari programmers. Blizzard Entertainment was founded in 1991 by Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce, and Allen Adham in Irvine, California.

Where is Activision Blizzard headquartered?
Activision Blizzard is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Blizzard Entertainment maintains its own campus in Irvine, California, and King is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with additional offices in London and Barcelona.

How many brands does Activision Blizzard own?
Activision Blizzard owns approximately 10 major gaming franchises, with Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Candy Crush Saga being the most commercially significant. The company's strategy has historically emphasized deep investment in a small number of proven franchises rather than a large portfolio of titles.

Who owns Activision Blizzard?
Activision Blizzard is wholly owned by Microsoft Corporation, which acquired the company for $68.7 billion in October 2023. Within Microsoft, Activision Blizzard operates as part of Microsoft Gaming alongside Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks, under the leadership of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who took over in February 2026.

What is Activision Blizzard's revenue?
As an independent public company, Activision Blizzard reported $7.53 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2022, its last full year before the Microsoft acquisition. The company peaked at $8.8 billion in revenue in 2021. Following the acquisition, Activision Blizzard's results are consolidated into Microsoft's financial statements and are not separately disclosed. Xbox revenue declined 10% in 2026.

What happened with the workplace culture lawsuits?
In July 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard alleging sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation. The company reached a $54 million settlement with the California Civil Rights Department in 2023. A separate EEOC investigation resulted in an $18 million settlement in 2021. The company denied wrongdoing in both settlements.

What is happening with the Xbox reset in 2026?
New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma launched a major restructuring in July 2026, cutting approximately 1,600 Xbox positions and divesting four studios (Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs). King and Mojang now report directly to Sharma. The reset aims to return Xbox to growth by fiscal year 2027 and achieve industry-leading margins by 2030. Approximately 20% of Xbox jobs are targeted for elimination by July 2027.

Why was Call of Duty removed from Game Pass?
Microsoft found that including Call of Duty in Game Pass allowed consumers to try new releases for a small subscription fee without paying full price, undermining premium game sales. The franchise was subsequently removed from the subscription service, reversing the initial post-acquisition strategy.