Jan 31 (Reuters) - The videogame industry received a massive fillip from the
COVID-19 pandemic as people increasingly turned to digital entertainment during
lockdowns, and firms in the sector consolidated to boost their library of
popular titles.
The global games market in 2021 generated total revenues of $180.3 billion
and it is expected to generate revenues of $218.8 billion by 2024, according to
data analytics firm Newzoo.
Videogame companies have also sharpened their focus on mobile games as
restrictions ease and people ditch their PCs and TV screens to step outside. The
mobile gaming market is likely to reach a size of $116.4 billion by 2024,
according to Newzoo.
Xbox maker Microsoft Corp said on Jan. 18 that it would buy "Call
of Duty" videogame maker Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in cash,
the largest deal in the sector.
Here is a list of the biggest videogame deals in the past few years:
Date Acquirer Target Deal Value Popular
Games
Jan. 2022 Microsoft Corp Activision $68.7 bln Call of
Blizzard Duty, Candy
Crush Saga
Jan. 2022 Take-Two Zynga $11.04 bln FarmVille
Interactive
June 2016 Tencent Supercell $8.6 bln Clash of
Holdings-led Oy Clans,
investor group Brawl Stars
Sept. 2020 Microsoft Corp Zenimax $7.5 bln The Elder
Scrolls
Nov. 2015 Activision King $5.9 bln Candy Crush
Blizzard Saga
July 2016 Chinese Playtika $4.4 bln Best
investor group Fiends,
Bingo blitz
Jan. 2022 Sony Bungie Inc $3.6 bln Destiny,
Interactive Marathon,
Entertainment Myth, Halo
Sept. 2014 Microsoft Corp Mojang $2.5 bln Minecraft
Studios
Feb. 2021 Electronic Arts Glu Mobile $2.4 bln Kim
Kardashian:
Hollywood
June 2021 Electronic Arts Playdemic $1.4 bln Golf Clash
Source: Refinitiv, an LSEG Business
(Reporting by Eva Mathews and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by
Ramakrishnan M. and Amy Caren Daniel)