Activision Blizzard to buy 'Candy Crush' maker King for $5.9 Billion

[lawow74]

http://news.yahoo.com/activision-bli...--finance.html

Not a surprising move, given the way the game market is shifting more and more towards mobile platforms(consider the recent Konami announcement of halting production of new console/PC games).

[Zeta333]

Im sorry but just becuase konami is run by fucking idiots and decided to throw away countless amazing IP's for panchinko machines doesnt mean the market is moving more twords mobile.

[Edge-]

Im sorry but just becuase konami is run by fucking idiots and decided to throw away countless amazing IP's for panchinko machines doesnt mean the market is moving more twords mobile.

The two aren't linked, but the mobile market is still growing and traditional PC/console publishers are still looking to get a bigger piece of the pie. That's why you see mobile making up around a quarter of EA's digital profits (PC is a quarter, console is half) nowadays and you continue to see moves from major publishers to either buy up mobile studios or work on building mobile teams internally to leverage their existing IP's or license others.

[SL1200]

Candy crush patch incoming for world of warcraft..

[Fawkess]

Candy crush patch incoming for world of warcraft.

The players are now the candy and are killed by a giant hand!

[lawow74]

Saw an article sometime back citing mobile devices as the most popular game platform among the 2-17 year old demographic. Unless something radical changes in platform technology, that's the direction things are going to move as time passes. I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing, but the writing is on the wall.

[Gsara]

Its a good move for ATVI. The mobile market is already the second largest platform and is only going to get a bigger through the rest of the decade.

[An-Tuirseach]

Only thing that surprises me here is that EA wasn't the ones to buy them.

[Tradewind]

Now just remove the word "Saga" from every game for fucks sake.

[Edge-]

Now just remove the word "Saga" from every game for fucks sake.

Brand recognition, man.

[Zeta333]

The two aren't linked, but the mobile market is still growing and traditional PC/console publishers are still looking to get a bigger piece of the pie. That's why you see mobile making up around a quarter of EA's digital profits (PC is a quarter, console is half) nowadays and you continue to see moves from major publishers to either buy up mobile studios or work on building mobile teams internally to leverage their existing IP's or license others.

The mobile market is plagued by nothing but hipster games and freemium trash, even the best sellers are basic and freemium to thier core, Can you think of any mobile games that are even on the same level as a gameboy game? Almost every single one is made for the cheap and fast buck and to trick people into spending cash to not have to wait.

[ttak82]

Candy crush patch incoming for world of warcraft..

All hail to Kandy King Muradin!

[ParanoiD84]

Ridiculous amount of money to buy a browser/mobil game for, was there a bidding war or just one bid? same with minecraft how many billions did they buy that for.

[Asrialol]

I'm fairly sure this is mostly Activision's doing, and not the people behind Blizzard who made happen. Even if they're the same company now.

- - - Updated - - -

Ridiculous amount of money to buy a browser/mobil game for, was there a bidding war or just one bid? same with minecraft how many billions did they buy that for.

The amount of users make the money well worth it.

[kail]

Can you think of any mobile games that are even on the same level as a gameboy game?

Ascension, Threes, Tiny Guardians. That's after the initial thought. Could give you more if you want.

[Kathranis]

I'm fairly sure this is mostly Activision's doing, and not the people behind Blizzard who made happen. Even if they're the same company now.

They're not the same company. Activision Blizzard is a holding company which owns both Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment, which remain two completely distinct companies. Activision Publishing further owns over a dozen other subsidiary game development studios.

Contrary to popular belief, Activision didn't purchase or merge with Blizzard; they merged with Blizzard's parent company, Vivendi Games (which also owned Sierra Games), and renamed it Activision Blizzard. Activision acquired Sierra Games during the merger, but Blizzard remained an independant studio and got its name on the billboard along with Activision. That's why Blizzard's stuff never has an Activision logo on it.

Activision Blizzard was actually still owned by Vivendi until 2013, when they bought themselves out.

Ridiculous amount of money to buy a browser/mobil game for, was there a bidding war or just one bid? same with minecraft how many billions did they buy that for.

King's annual revenue is about $2 billion. It won't take too long for Activision to see a full return on that investment.

[Deleted]

Now just remove the word "Saga" from every game for fucks sake.

Overwatch officially renamed to Overwatch Saga.

[Hyve]

I highly doubt the Blizzard division was behind this ... People forget there are a lot of moving cogs, and Activision does also operate independently.

[Lillyth]

Brand recognition, man.

You mean how they tried to sue the Banner Saga? Yeah NO.

[Gutler]

Now just remove the word "Saga" from every game for fucks sake.

Oh my god this its like king did not even know what the word Saga means.