Activision Blizzard

Atari 2600 was released in 1977, becoming one of the most iconic gaming consoles in history.

Activision, Inc. was founded on October 1, 1979, in Sunnyvale, California, by former Atari game developers who were dissatisfied with their treatment by Atari. The company was established to create games for the popular Atari 2600 home video game console, making it the first independent, third-party, console video game developer.

Ahead of the release of their first four games, Activision obtained space at the mid-year 1980 Consumer Electronics Show to showcase their titles, receiving favorable press attention.

In 1981, Kaboom! was released and became Activision's first game to sell over a million units, marking a significant success for the company.

In 1982, Activision released Pitfall!, created by David Crane, which became a breakout title for the company, selling over four million copies.

Ahead of its June 1983 initial public offering, Activision's total sales were estimated at $157 million and revenues at $60 million. The company completed its public offering on NASDAQ under the stock ticker AVSN.

In 1989, Activision closed down the Infocom studios after years of losses, offering relocation to only 11 out of 26 employees to Activision's Silicon Valley headquarters.

In 1990, Mediagenic, through Activision, obtained the rights to distribute games from Cyan Worlds. The first game published was The Manhole on CD-ROM for personal computers.

Bobby Kotick and investors purchased Mediagenic for approximately $500,000 in 1991, with the intention of acquiring the Activision name and assets to restore the company's reputation.

By the end of 1992, Bobby Kotick renamed Mediagenic to the original Activision name after fulfilling the bankruptcy plan and reissuing past titles.

In October 1993, the new Activision went public, raising about $40 million and being listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ATVI.

Activision released MechWarrior 2 in 1995, which led to internal struggles with FASA but resulted in significant sales. By 1995, Bobby Kotick's approach had met investor promises of revenue growth.

In 1997, Activision acquired the license for the pen-and-paper-based war game Heavy Gear, which was well received by critics and marked a successful venture for the company.

On June 16, 2000, Activision reorganized as a holding company, Activision Holdings, to manage Activision and its subsidiaries more effectively. Activision changed its corporate name from 'Activision, Inc.' to 'Activision Publishing, Inc.', while Activision Holdings took Activision's former 'Activision, Inc.' name.

Activision acquired Treyarch in 2001 for about $20 million. Treyarch assisted in developing Tony Hawk games and later contributed to the Call of Duty series.

In 2002, Activision acquired Gray Matter Studios for about $3.2 million. Gray Matter Studios, originally known as Xatrix Entertainment, worked on Return to Castle Wolfenstein and later merged with Treyarch.

In January 2003, Activision acquired Infinity Ward for $5 million. Infinity Ward was formed by developers disenchanted with their current contracts after the release of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault by Electronic Arts.

Toys for Bob, known for developing Star Control games and film-to-video game adaptations, was founded in 1989. Activision purchased the studio in 2005, assigning them work on Tony Hawk's games and other licensed properties. Toys for Bob later worked on the Skylanders series under Activision's ownership.

In June 2006, Activision purchased RedOctane for nearly $100 million. RedOctane was co-developing Guitar Hero with Harmonix, with RedOctane focusing on developing the instrument controllers. Guitar Hero became a major success, leading to Activision's acquisition of RedOctane.

Activision, Inc. and Vivendi Games merged to form Activision Blizzard, creating a major video game holding company. The merger was proposed by Bobby Kotick of Activision to gain access to Blizzard's successful MMO, World of Warcraft.

In November 2009, Activision established Sledgehammer Games, led by Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey. Originally intended to develop a Call of Duty spin-off, Sledgehammer later assisted Infinity Ward in developing Modern Warfare 3. Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch now share development duties for the Call of Duty series.

In February 2010, Activision Blizzard reported significant losses in revenue due to a slowdown in Guitar Hero sales and casual games. This led to the closure of several studios and layoffs at Neversoft.

In July 2010, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released after numerous delays. The game was accompanied by an upgraded version of Battle.net and became a major success.

In November 2010, Activision shuttered Budcat Creations as part of its restructuring efforts following revenue losses.

In February 2011, Activision closed Bizarre Creations, another studio affected by the company's financial challenges.

On July 25, 2013, Activision Blizzard announced the purchase of 429 million shares from owner Vivendi for $5.83 billion. This transaction significantly reduced Vivendi's stake in the company.

On September 9, 2014, Activision Blizzard launched Destiny, which generated over $500 million in retail sales on its first day, setting a new record for the biggest first day launch of a new gaming franchise.

On August 28, 2015, Activision Blizzard became part of the S&P 500 stock index, marking a significant milestone for the company in the financial market.

On September 15, 2015, Activision and Bungie released Destiny: The Taken King, a highly anticipated follow-up to the Destiny saga, which garnered significant attention and acclaim.

Activision Blizzard acquired Major League Gaming on January 4, 2016, for $46 million to strengthen its presence in esports.

In June 2017, Activision Blizzard made its entry into the prestigious Fortune 500 list, becoming the third gaming company to achieve this feat after Atari and Electronic Arts.

In March 2018, Eric Hirshberg stepped down from his position as CEO of Activision Blizzard.

In February 2019, Activision Blizzard reported record revenue but announced layoffs of around 8% of their workforce, focusing on core games, esports, and Battle.net services.

On April 7, 2020, Daniel Alegre took over as the President of Activision Blizzard, succeeding Coddy Johnson who transitioned to a special advisory role.

On July 20, 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and retaliation.

Microsoft declared its intent to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, aiming to expand its presence in the gaming industry. The acquisition was completed on October 13, 2023.

Activision Blizzard reported $7.54 billion in revenue and $1.52 billion in net income for its shareholders on February 6, 2023, before being acquired by Microsoft.

Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard and granted rights to cloud gaming of its games to Ubisoft. The acquisition was finalized on October 13, 2023.

Activision Blizzard, known for popular games like Call of Duty, Diablo, and Warcraft, is celebrating its 44th birthday. The publisher has released an infographic showcasing the history and success of Activision, Blizzard, and King along with their hit titles.

Bobby Kotick resigned as CEO of Activision Blizzard on December 29, 2023, as part of the acquisition deal with Microsoft, but will remain onboard to aid in the transition until the end of 2023.

On March 8, 2024, 600 Activision QA workers unionized under the Communication Workers of America, marking a significant event in the North American game development industry.