History of King
King, officially known as King Digital Entertainment, is a Swedish video game developer and publisher renowned for its social games. Founded in August 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Riccardo Zacconi, Toby Rowland, Mel Morris, Thomas Hartwig, Sebastian Knutsson, Lars Markgren, and Patrik Stymne, the company initially operated as Midasplayer.com, focusing on browser-based games. In November 2005, it rebranded as King.com and expanded its portfolio to include a variety of casual games.
King's significant breakthrough came with the release of 'Candy Crush Saga' in 2012. This cross-platform title became one of the most financially successful games utilizing the freemium model, attracting millions of players worldwide. The game's success propelled King to the forefront of the mobile gaming industry.
In February 2016, King was acquired by Activision Blizzard for $5.9 billion, operating as an independent entity within the company. This acquisition allowed King to leverage Activision Blizzard's resources while maintaining its unique identity in the gaming market. As of 2017, King employed approximately 2,000 people across 12 studios.
In October 2023, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, with King continuing to operate as a separate business within the Microsoft Gaming division. This transition marked a new chapter for King, integrating it into one of the largest gaming ecosystems globally.