King: Powering the World’s Biggest Mobile Gaming Franchises
King is a global interactive entertainment company behind some of the world’s most recognizable mobile games, including the Candy Crush franchise and Farm Heroes Saga. Today, King is part of Microsoft and its games reach around 200 million people each month.
Visit king.com ↗Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
Company Name | King |
Category | Interactive Entertainment |
Subcategory | Mobile Gaming, Casual Games & Live Operations |
Founded | 2003 |
Headquarters | London, UK and Stockholm, Sweden |
Parent Company | Microsoft |
Business Model | Free-to-play games with in-game purchases and virtual items |
Key Franchises | Candy Crush, Farm Heroes Saga and other mobile titles |
Monthly Players | Around 200 million |
Games Developed | More than 200 |
2016 Acquisition | Acquired by Activision Blizzard for a total equity value of $5.9 billion |
2022 Acquisition | Acquired Swedish AI company Peltarion |
2023 Ownership Change | Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard |
Website | king.com ↗ |
What King Does
King develops and operates mobile and casual games for a global audience. Its portfolio includes the Candy Crush franchise and other established titles designed around accessible gameplay, recurring content and long-term player engagement.
Key Strengths
- Global mobile gaming franchises with large recurring audiences
- Large-scale live game operations and continuous content updates
- Data-driven player engagement and personalization
- Cross-platform game experiences and synchronized progress
- Integration with Microsoft’s broader gaming ecosystem
Why It Matters
King demonstrates how a mobile-first gaming company can build durable consumer franchises at global scale. Its AI and machine learning investments also show how large player datasets can support game development, live operations and personalized experiences.
King at Scale
200M+
Monthly Players
King says around 200 million people play a King game every month.
200+
Games Developed
King’s corporate profile says the company has developed more than 200 games.
20+
Years of History
King has more than two decades of history in interactive entertainment and mobile gaming.
Enterprise Momentum
Microsoft Gaming
King operates as part of Microsoft following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023, giving the business access to a broader global gaming ecosystem spanning mobile, PC, console and cloud.
Global Studio Network
King has game studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona and Berlin, with offices across Europe and North America including Dublin, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Malta.
Consumer Reach
King’s games reach around 200 million people every month, giving its live-service teams a large recurring audience across its portfolio of mobile titles.
AI & Machine Learning
Peltarion Acquisition
In June 2022, King acquired Swedish AI software company Peltarion. King said the acquisition would accelerate its use of AI and machine learning across its game platform.
Game Development
King said the Peltarion team and technology would help build AI and machine learning capabilities for a new generation of game design, development and live operations.
Player Experiences
At King’s scale, machine learning can support areas such as player understanding, content decisions, personalization and the operation of continuously updated games.
Growth & Ownership Journey
2003
King Founded
2003
King begins building its interactive entertainment business.
2012
Candy Crush Saga
Launch
Candy Crush Saga becomes the foundation of King’s flagship franchise.
2016
Activision Blizzard
$5.9B
Activision Blizzard completes its acquisition of King.
2022
Peltarion
AI
King acquires Swedish AI company Peltarion to expand AI and ML capabilities.
2023
Microsoft
$75.4B
Microsoft completes its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, bringing King into Microsoft.