If you are interested in video games, you are aware that this is one of the fastest-growing industries. People play video games on various platforms, so it should not be surprising that some of the companies behind their favourite games are worth billions. Activision Blizzard is one of them because this is the brand behind World of Warcraft, Diablo IV, and more.
Speaking of this company, the stats from www.uebas.net show that Microsoft’s $68.7B deal with Activision Blizzard became the most expensive video game company acquisition in the world. “There were rumours about this deal for months before it finally occurred. Microsoft announced its plans in early 2022, but it had to go through many regulations before finalizing the deal. After more than a year and a half, the deal is complete”, said Veselin from NB.
Often called “the most influential deal in gaming’s history”, this deal can only mean one thing – there is a future for video games. A company like Microsoft and its Xbox will utilize Blizzard’s blockbuster titles, so we can expect many interesting months and years to come.
Even though this is definitely the biggest deal in gaming’s history, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any others that deserve more attention. Let’s take a look at them so we can learn more details about what happened.
Take-Two Interactive buying Zynga for $12.7B in 2022
2022 was definitely an exciting year for gaming. Aside from the jaw-dropping deal between Microsoft and Blizzard, there was another billion-dollar deal that took place. Some of them also shocked the gaming community in many parts of the world.
Take-Two Interactive, one of the big players in the world of gaming, finalized the deal with none other than Zynga. The latter is a well-known name in the world of mobile games. People have been playing some of their games for years so, so it’s no surprise that the company became one of the leading names in mobile gaming.
Zynga is the company behind many titles, but most people associate it with things like Words With Friends and Farmville. Considering Take-Two Interactive is a powerhouse in PC and console games, Zynga’s addition to the company will also make it one of the largest and most important brands in mobile gaming. According to some statements after the deal, the brand looks forward to the next-gen of mobile free-to-play titles.
Tencent bought Supercell for $8.6B in 2016
Even though two of the biggest deals in gaming took place in 2022, the last one in the top 3 is more than 7 years old already. There were many popular games in 2016, and Supercell owned one of them – Clash of Clans. The latter has become one of the go-to options for millions of players, especially in some parts of the world.
Although the game itself was not that big in China at the time, one of the leading Chinese gaming companies, Tencent, decided to acquire Supercell for a record-breaking amount – $8.6B. While it is true that this is a lot of money, Tencent had to expand its services overseas because they were mostly focused on the domestic market.
In addition to Clash of Clans, Supercell was also responsible for games like Boom Beach, as well as Hay Day. At the time of the acquisition, the brand had around 180 employees and a profit of around 880M EUR.
Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media for $7.5B in 2020
It seems like Microsoft is taking its gaming department seriously because the company was involved in another record-breaking gaming deal. Before spending almost $70B in 2022, the company acquired ZeniMax Media for $7.5B in 2020.
For those unfamiliar with ZeniMax Media, this brand is behind Doom and the Fallout studio. Microsoft’s decision to purchase the company allowed it to expand its Xbox services. Unsurprisingly, this made the platform even more appealing than it was.
Of course, the main reason brands like Microsoft are willing to spend so much money on Game Studious is exclusivity. They want to make some titles work only for Xbox, which raised many questions about games such as Dethloop. Luckily for gamers worldwide, Microsoft promised to honour the exclusive deal for this game for the PS5.
Activision Blizzard’s acquisition of King for $5.9B in 2015
Before the creators of Diablo IV and WarCraft III became a part of one of the largest companies in the world, they participated in an interesting deal in 2015. Back then, Blizzard Activision purchased King for $5.9B. Unsurprisingly, this was a record-breaking deal at the time, at least until Tencent bought Supercell.
King Digital Entertainment was a well-known company among mobile gamers, especially those who were into casual games. In fact, that’s the brand behind the Candy Crush Saga, one of the most popular mobile games of all time.
Following the deal, King continued to operate independently under Riccardo Zacconi, the chief executive officer. He has been a part of the company since it was founded around 2002.
The role of the gaming industry in things such as online gambling
The biggest deals in the gaming world will make some games a lot more popular than others. Besides attracting more casual players, these games will also gain new fans among those who like betting. As a result, some of the leading gambling websites will also expand their eSports section and even allow people to bet on casual games.
Since companies like Microsoft are so invested in the industry, it should not be surprising that brands from other sectors will also try to use the hype around gaming. Some sports betting platforms have been doing this for years, while others have not added these options. One thing is certain – betting on computer games and eSports should continue to grow in popularity.
