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Activision

Last updated: January 17, 2026

Overview

Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California, and one of the largest third-party video game publishers in the world.1 Founded on October 1, 1979, by former Atari programmers David Crane, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead, and Jim Levy, Activision holds the distinction of being the first independent, third-party console video game developer.23

The company has evolved significantly from its origins as a pioneering Atari 2600 developer to become a global gaming powerhouse. In July 2008, Activision merged with Vivendi Games (parent of Blizzard Entertainment) to form Activision Blizzard.4 Most recently, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $75.4 billion in October 2023, bringing the company under the Microsoft Gaming umbrella.5

Sierra Connection

Activision’s relationship with Sierra properties spans several decades and contexts:

Vivendi Games Merger (2008): When Activision merged with Vivendi Games, they inherited Sierra’s intellectual property portfolio.6 While Sierra’s adventure game development had largely ended by this point, Activision gained access to the Sierra brand and catalog.

King’s Quest Reboot (2015): Activision published the episodic King’s Quest reimagining developed by The Odd Gentlemen, marking a revival of Sierra’s most iconic adventure franchise.7

Dynamix-Era Publishing: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Activision published several games with Dynamix connections, including Deathtrack (1989) and collaborated on titles like Conquests of Camelot and Conquests of the Longbow.

History

Founding and Golden Age (1979-1983)

Activision was founded by four disgruntled Atari programmers who sought greater recognition and royalties for their work. The company’s early success came from titles like Pitfall! (1982), which sold over four million copies, and Kaboom! (1981), their first million-seller.8

Video Game Crash and Recovery (1983-1991)

The video game crash of 1983 hit Activision hard, forcing diversification into home computer games and the acquisition of text adventure pioneer Infocom in 1986.9 The company renamed itself Mediagenic in 1988 but fell into severe debt by 1991.

Bobby Kotick Era (1991-2023)

Bobby Kotick purchased the struggling Mediagenic for approximately $500,000 in 1991 and rebuilt the company, reverting to the Activision name.10 Under Kotick’s leadership, Activision acquired numerous studios and built major franchises including Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, and Call of Duty.

Microsoft Acquisition (2023-Present)

Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on October 13, 2023, for $75.4 billion—the largest acquisition in video game industry history.5

Games Published (Sierra Archive)

YearGameNotes
1987Laser Surgeon: The Microscopic MissionEarly Activision title
1989DeathtrackDynamix vehicular combat
1990Conquests of CamelotPublished by Sierra, developed with Dynamix
1990F-14 TomcatDynamix flight sim
1991Conquests of the LongbowSierra/Dynamix adventure
1997CART RacingPublished Papyrus racing title
20073D Ultra Minigolf Adventures DeluxePost-Vivendi merger
2015King’s QuestEpisodic reboot by The Odd Gentlemen

Cancelled Projects

StatusGameNotes
CancelledBabylon 5: Into the FireSierra/Yosemite project
UnreleasedGabriel Knight 4: Five HeartsJane Jensen pitch

Key Acquisitions

Notable studio acquisitions relevant to this archive:

  • Raven Software (1997) - $12 million
  • Neversoft (2000) - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater developers
  • Infinity Ward (2003) - $5 million, Call of Duty creators
  • Treyarch (2001) - $20 million
  • RedOctane (2006) - ~$100 million, Guitar Hero publisher

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia - Activision - Company overview and history ↩

  2. MobyGames - Activision Publishing, Inc. - Game database profile ↩

  3. Gamedeveloper - The History of Activision - First third-party publisher history ↩

  4. Wikipedia - Activision Blizzard - Merger details ↩

  5. Wikipedia - Acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft - Microsoft purchase details ↩ ↩2

  6. Activision Blizzard - Who We Are - 2008 merger history ↩

  7. Activision Official Site - Game portfolio including King’s Quest ↩

  8. IGN - The History of Activision - Early game sales ↩

  9. MIT - Down From the Top of Its Game: The Story of Infocom - Infocom acquisition ↩

  10. Forbes - Activision’s Unlikely Hero - Bobby Kotick purchase ↩

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