Activision Blizzard Inc
Summary
- Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a leading global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services.
- The company operates through Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King.
- In the year 2022 Microsoft acquired the Company for $95.00 per share.
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI, LSE: 0H8X) is a leading global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services. The company develop and distribute content and services on video game consoles, personal computers (“PCs”), and mobile devices. The company also operate esports leagues and offer digital advertising within some of its content.
Recent Developments
Activision Blizzard Releases Inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Look-Back1
March 23, 2023; Activision Blizzard today released its first annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Look-Back, which shares new and expanded data on diverse representation within the company’s employee population. The Look-Back also highlights how investing in DE&I across its people, business, and community has become an integral part of Activision Blizzard’s business.
Merger
On January 18, 2022; the company entered into an agreement with Microsoft Corporation and Anchorage Merger Sub Inc a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft. Microsoft agreed to acquire the Company for $95.00 per issued and outstanding share of its common stock, in an all-cash transaction.
Financial Highlights
For the year ended December 31, 2022, Activision Blizzard’s net revenues presented in accordance with GAAP were $7.53 billion, as compared with $8.80 billion for 2021. GAAP net revenues from digital channels were $6.63 billion. GAAP operating margin was 22%. GAAP earnings per diluted share was $1.92, as compared with $3.44 for 2021. On a non-GAAP basis, Activision Blizzard’s operating margin was 30% and earnings per diluted share was $2.58, as compared with $4.08 for 2021.2
Activision Blizzard generated $2.22 billion in operating cash flow for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared with $2.41 billion for 2021. Activision Blizzard generated $1.12 billion in operating cash flow for the quarter as compared with $661 million for the fourth quarter of 2021.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, Activision Blizzard’s net bookingsB were $8.51 billion, as compared with $8.35 billion for 2021. In-game net bookingsC were $5.38 billion, as compared with $5.10 billion for 2021.
Monthly Active Users
Monthly active users (“MAUs”) as a key measure of the overall size of its user base. MAUs are the number of individuals who accessed a particular game in a given month.
Company Overview
Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a leading global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services. The company develop and distribute content and services on video game consoles, personal computers (“PCs”), and mobile devices. The company also operate esports leagues and offer digital advertising within some of its content.
Business Segments
Activision Publishing, Inc.
Activision Publishing, Inc. delivers content through both premium and free-to-play offerings and primarily generates revenue from fullgame and in-game sales, as well as by licensing software to third-party or related-party companies that distribute Activision products. Activision’s key product offerings include titles and content for Call of Duty, a first-person action franchise. Activision also includes the activities of the Call of Duty League™, a global professional esports league.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. delivers content through both premium and free-to-play offerings and primarily generates revenue from fullgame and in-game sales, subscriptions, and by licensing software to third-party or related-party companies that distribute Blizzard products. Blizzard also maintains a proprietary online gaming platform, Battle.net , which facilitates digital distribution of Blizzard content and selected Activision content, online social connectivity, and the creation of user-generated content. Blizzard’s key product offerings include titles and content for: the Warcraft franchise, which includes World of Warcraft , a subscription-based massive multi-player online role-playing game, and Hearthstone , an online collectible card game based in the Warcraft universe; Diablo in the action role-playing genre; and Overwatch in the team-based first-person action genre. Blizzard also includes the activities of the Overwatch League™, a global professional esports league.
King Digital Entertainment
King Digital Entertainment delivers content through free-to-play offerings and primarily generates revenue from in-game sales and in-game advertising on mobile platforms. King’s key product offerings include titles and content for Candy Crush™, a “match three” franchise.
Products
The company develop interactive entertainment content and services, principally for console, PC, and mobile devices, and the company market and sell its games primarily through digital distribution channels. The company's products span various genres, including first- and third-person action/adventure, role-playing, strategy, and “match three,” among others. The company primarily offer the following products and services:
- premium full-games, which typically provide access to main game content after purchase;
- free-to-play offerings, which allow players to download the game and engage with the associated content for free;
- in-game content for purchase to enhance gameplay (i.e., microtransactions and downloadable content) available within both its premium fullgames and free-to-play offerings;
- subscriptions for players in World of Warcraft that provide for ongoing access to the game content; and
- advertising services for third-party companies to reach and engage with its players, primarily within its free-to-play offerings.
Brands Portfolio
The company's portfolio includes some of the most iconic intellectual properties in all of entertainment, developed by the incredibly talented teams at Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King, and its independent studios, including Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch. Activision Blizzard Media unlocks the gateway for brands to the #1 gaming platform in the western world.
Company History
The company was started in 1979 by four software programmers. It initially named "Computer Arts, Inc.”3
| Year | Milestone |
| 1979 | Activision is founded by four Atari game developers who left the company to start their own business. |
| 1982 | Activision becomes the first third-party developer and publisher of video games. |
| 1991 | Activision merges with Mediagenic, a software publisher, and changes its name to Mediagenic. |
| 1992 | After struggling financially, Mediagenic reverts to its former name, Activision. |
| 1995 | Activision becomes a public company and is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. |
| 1997 | Activision acquires Raven Software, which becomes one of its main development studios. |
| 1999 | Activision releases the first game in the hugely successful Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series. |
| 2003 | Vivendi Games is formed through the merger of Vivendi Universal Games and Universal Interactive. |
| 2006 | Activision acquires visual effects company Z-Axis, which becomes part of its development studio Treyarch. |
| 2007 | Activision acquires Bizarre Creations, a UK-based developer known for racing games. |
| 2008 | Activision and Vivendi Games merge to form Activision Blizzard Inc., with Activision CEO Bobby Kotick becoming CEO of the new company. |
| 2009 | Activision Blizzard acquires King Digital Entertainment, the maker of the hugely popular mobile game Candy Crush. |
| 2010 | Activision Blizzard releases the massively popular game Call of Duty: Black Ops. |
| 2013 | Activision Blizzard announces that it will be dropping the Vivendi name and buying back a majority of the shares owned by Vivendi, making it an independent company. |
| 2014 | Activision Blizzard releases the massively popular game Destiny. |
| 2016 | Activision Blizzard acquires King Digital Entertainment, the maker of Candy Crush, for $5.9 billion. |
| 2018 | Activision Blizzard releases the battle royale game Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. |
| 2019 | Activision Blizzard announces layoffs of 8% of its workforce. |
| 2020 | Activision Blizzard releases the remake of the classic game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2. |
| 2022 | Merger with Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft agreed to acquire the Company for $95.00 per share. |