Microsoft announced its intention to buy video game publisher Activision Blizzard for US$75 billion — a transaction that aims to bring the iconic Call of Duty and World of Warcraft franchises under the tech giant’s umbrella. Take-Two Interactive unveiled its plan to shell out US$12.7 billion for mobile game maker Zynga, best known for the FarmVille franchise. And Sony agreed to purchase Bungie, creator of the popular Halo and Destiny games, for US$3.6 billion.
If all three deals close, that’s US$85 billion of M&A activity centered on video games, the fastest growing segment of the media sector. The Activision deal is Microsoft’s largest acquisition ever and could vault it to the top of the US$200 billion gaming industry, just behind China’s Tencent.
Gaming’s global appeal fuels industry leaders in Asia and the US
Gaming’s global appeal fuels industry leaders in Asia and the US Capital Group, Newzoo. Quarterly revenue figures are estimates by research firm Newzoo, as of September 30, 2021
Driven in part by a pandemic-era gaming boom, the fast-changing media landscape is fundamentally transforming the way people interact and entertain themselves in a world where traditional TV viewing and movie attendance are in serious decline. That dynamic makes interactive games even more valuable to the likes of Microsoft, Sony and others.