Microsoft owns the Windows and Xbox brands and acquired game publisher Activision Blizzard in 2023.
Microsoft announced its agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. After regulatory review in several jurisdictions, the transaction was completed on October 13, 2023, for approximately $69 billion including assumed net cash. Activision Blizzard brought franchises such as Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Candy Crush into Microsoft's gaming business.
Xbox is Microsoft's video-game brand, covering consoles, software, online services, and subscriptions. Windows is Microsoft's long-running personal-computer operating-system family. These businesses sit alongside cloud computing, productivity software, search, and enterprise services.
The deal was closely examined by competition regulators, especially in the United Kingdom and United States. The acquisition did not make Microsoft the owner of Nintendo or Sony; those companies remain independent competitors in the console market.