Microsoft created the Windows operating system and acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023.
Microsoft developed Windows as a graphical operating-system environment for personal computers. Windows 1.0 was released in 1985, and later versions helped establish Microsoft as a dominant supplier of desktop operating-system software.
Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on October 13, 2023, after obtaining regulatory approval and agreeing to structural changes involving cloud-streaming rights in some markets. Activision Blizzard brought major game franchises including Call of Duty, Warcraft, Diablo, and Candy Crush into Microsoft’s gaming business.
The acquisition was distinct from Microsoft’s earlier purchase of Mojang, the creator of Minecraft, and from its acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the parent of Bethesda. Microsoft’s gaming operations include Xbox consoles, game publishing, PC services, and the Game Pass subscription.