Activision Blizzard Inc.
ATVIBusiness Model
ticker: ATVI step: 01 generated: 2026-05-13 source: quick-research note: acquired
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) — Business Overview
Note: Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) and the deal closed on October 13, 2023. ATVI no longer trades as an independent public company. For research on Microsoft, see MSFT research files.
Business Description (Historical — Pre-Acquisition)
Activision Blizzard was one of the world's largest interactive entertainment companies, operating three segments: Activision (Call of Duty franchise), Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, StarCraft, Hearthstone), and King (Candy Crush mobile games). The company served hundreds of millions of monthly active users globally across console, PC, and mobile platforms.
Acquisition by Microsoft
- Announced: January 18, 2022
- Deal Value:
$68.7B ($95/share in cash) — largest gaming acquisition in history at the time - Regulatory Journey: Blocked by UK CMA initially; approved after Microsoft agreed to license Call of Duty to cloud gaming rivals
- Closed: October 13, 2023
- Strategic Rationale: Microsoft gained Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush, Overwatch for Xbox Game Pass and mobile gaming expansion
Activision Blizzard's franchises are now part of Microsoft Gaming (Xbox), contributing to Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft's broader gaming strategy.
Financial Snapshot
ticker: ATVI step: 04 generated: 2026-05-13 source: quick-research note: acquired
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) — Financial Snapshot
Note: ATVI was acquired by Microsoft (MSFT) — deal closed October 13, 2023. No longer an independent public company. Last standalone financials shown below for historical reference.
Last Reported Standalone Financials
| Metric | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 (partial) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ~$8.8B | ~$7.5B | ~$5.9B (9 months to acquisition) |
| Operating Income | ~$2.7B | ~$1.5B | N/A |
| Net Income | ~$2.7B | ~$1.5B | N/A |
| EPS (diluted) | ~$3.43 | ~$1.95 | N/A |
Microsoft acquired ATVI for $95/share in cash ($68.7B total). ATVI's franchises (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush, Overwatch) are now reported within Microsoft's More Personal Computing / Gaming segment.
Recent Catalysts
ticker: ATVI step: 12 generated: 2026-05-13 source: quick-research note: acquired
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) — Investment Catalysts & Risks
Note: ATVI was acquired by Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) — deal closed October 13, 2023. ATVI no longer trades as an independent public company. This file is retained for historical reference only.
Status
Activision Blizzard is no longer an investable independent entity. Microsoft acquired the company for ~$95/share in cash in one of the largest gaming deals in history. Former ATVI shareholders received $95.00 per share in cash at close.
For research on Microsoft, which now owns the Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises as part of Xbox Gaming, see MSFT research if available.
Research Date
Generated: 2026-05-13
Full Research Available
This primer covers steps 1–3 of 21. The full deep dive includes moat analysis, DCF valuation, bull/bear scenarios, management quality, earnings transcript analysis, competitive positioning, returns on capital, institutional/insider activity, and an investment memo.