Call of Duty is one of the most iconic and best-selling video game franchises in history. It’s a first-person shooter (FPS) series that debuted in 2003, focusing on military-themed gameplay that spans historical and modern warfare scenarios. The franchise has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and continues to be a cultural phenomenon with annual releases and millions of active players across consoles, PC, and mobile platforms.
Originally developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, Call of Duty includes multiple sub-series such as Modern Warfare, Black Ops, and Warzone. Over the years, additional studios like Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, and Raven Software have also contributed to its development.
Ownership Status of Call of Duty
Microsoft Corporation
As of October 2023, Call of Duty is owned by Microsoft Corporation because Microsoft successfully completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard (the parent company of Call of Duty’s publisher) in a deal valued at around $68.7 billion. With that acquisition, Microsoft gained ownership of the Call of Duty franchise along with other major gaming IPs such as Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Candy Crush.
Publisher and Franchise Steward: Activision
Even though Microsoft is the ultimate owner, the Call of Duty games are published and operated by Activision (now a Microsoft-owned subsidiary). Activision continues to manage the franchise’s development collaborations with various studios and its global publishing activities.
How Ownership Evolved
Here’s a brief timeline of how Call of Duty’s ownership came to be:
- 2003 – Call of Duty launches, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision.
- 2008 – Activision merges with Blizzard Entertainment to form Activision Blizzard, creating one of the largest video game companies in the world.
- 2023 – Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard in a massive deal, bringing Call of Duty and other key gaming franchises under Microsoft’s umbrella.
Today, Call of Duty exists as a global entertainment franchise owned by Microsoft but published, developed, and managed through Activision’s gaming divisions.
Franchise Business Context
Under Microsoft’s ownership, Call of Duty remains multiplatform, meaning the games continue to be available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Microsoft made public commitments to maintain this broad platform support for many years to keep the franchise accessible to its massive player base. This was a key factor in regulatory approval of the acquisition.
The franchise also plays a significant role in esports, with the Call of Duty League and competitive circuits operated alongside other major esports properties.
FAQs
1. Who owns the Call of Duty video game franchise?
Call of Duty is owned by Microsoft Corporation through its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023. The games are published by Activision, a subsidiary now under Microsoft’s ownership.
2. Is Call of Duty a Microsoft exclusive?
No. Microsoft has committed to keeping Call of Duty available on non-Xbox platforms (like PlayStation) for many years as part of the acquisition agreement.
3. Who originally created Call of Duty?
The franchise was originally developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision starting in 2003.
4. Did the ownership of Call of Duty change recently?
Yes. The franchise became Microsoft’s property after the 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard, reshaping ownership and corporate control of the IP.
Today, Call of Duty is owned by Microsoft Corporation as part of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and the franchise continues to be published and developed under Activision’s stewardship with contributions from several partner studios.
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