NEW YORK (AP) – The company behind the hugely successful “Call of Duty” video games is launching an all-out attack on the mobile gaming market by shelling out $5.9 billion for the maker of “Candy Crush Saga.”
Activision Blizzard’s purchase of King Digital Entertainment will help it keep pace as video gaming continues to move away from TV-connected consoles to smartphones and tablets.
And it’s bound to add new players to Activision’s ranks, such as women, who haven’t been especially interested in the company’s violent games up to now.
But the move comes at a hefty price, especially for a company that has seen its sales and profit drop in recent years.
And while “Candy Crush” is notoriously addictive, it has waned in popularity for some time, and it’s unclear when or if King Digital’s next hit mobile game will come.