With the deal expected to be completed by spring 2016, Activision Blizzard announced today that they’ve signed a definitive agreement to purchase King Digital Entertainment (Candy Crush) for $5.9 billion.
According to the accompanying press release, Activision Blizzard “believes that the addition of King’s highly-complementary business will position Activision Blizzard as a global leader in interactive entertainment across mobile, console and PC platforms, and positions the company for future growth.”
With the King acquisition, Activision Blizzard gains two of the top five highest-grossing mobile games in the US with Candy Crush Saga and Candy Crush Soda Saga. They add that Candy Crush joins the world’s most successful console game franchise (Call of Duty), and the world’s most successful PC franchise (World of Warcraft).
“Activision Blizzard expects that this leading content, together with expertise across subscription, upfront purchase, free-to-play and micro-transaction business models will enhance Activision Blizzard’s position as one of the world’s most successful interactive entertainment companies,” they said.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said:
The combined revenues and profits solidify our position as the largest, most profitable standalone company in interactive entertainment. With a combined global network of more than half a billion monthly active users, our potential to reach audiences around the world on the device of their choosing enables us to deliver great games to even bigger audiences than ever before.
Minecraft Creator Notch weighed in on the deal:
King sold to Activision? What a bunch of sellouts! How dare theyoh wait hm nevermind uhhh damn (Congratulations, my old bosses!)
— Markus Persson (@notch) November 3, 2015
What do you think of the acquisition?
