King is a mobile and social game developer headquartered in London, founded in 2003 in Sweden by Riccardo Zacconi and Tobbe Lawitz. They are best known for Candy Crush Saga, one of the highest-grossing mobile games of all time. Activision Blizzard acquired King in February 2016 for approximately $5.9 billion. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023, making King part of Microsoft Gaming.

King Origin Story

King started as a web and social game company through the mid-2000s and early 2010s. Candy Crush Saga launched on Facebook in April 2012 and on iOS and Android in November 2012. It became a global phenomenon, dominating mobile download charts and generating enormous revenue through its free-to-play model.

King Key Games

Candy Crush Saga (2012)

A match-three puzzle game with thousands of levels and a monetization model built around selling extra moves and lives. Has generated billions of dollars in revenue and remains one of the most-downloaded games ever. It peaked culturally around 2013 to 2015 but continues to be played by hundreds of millions of people. The Candy Crush franchise expanded to include Candy Crush Soda Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, and Candy Crush Friends Saga.

The Activision Acquisition

The $5.9 billion acquisition by Activision Blizzard in 2016 was primarily about the mobile market. Activision at the time had almost no meaningful mobile presence. King gave them hundreds of millions of daily active players. Under Microsoft, King continues operating as part of the broader gaming portfolio.