# Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard Entertainment is an other based in Santa Monica, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** other
- **Headquarters:** Santa Monica, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Santa Monica, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 1991
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** blizzard.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/blizzard-entertainment

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Blizzard Entertainment was founded in 1991 by Allen Adham, Mike Morhaime, and Frank Pearce as a video game developer under the name Silicon & Synapse. It became a subsidiary of Activision in 2008 through a merger that formed Activision Blizzard, and was acquired by Microsoft in October 2023 for $68.7B — one of the largest tech deals in history (per Microsoft, October 2023). The company operates from its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, with its main development studio in Irvine, California. Blizzard's strategy centers on developing and publishing high-budget, multiplayer-focused games across PC and console platforms. Its core portfolio includes the Warcraft franchise (including World of Warcraft, launch 2004), StarCraft (1998), Diablo (1997), Overwatch (2016), and Hearthstone (2014). The company generates revenue through game sales, subscription fees (World of Warcraft), microtransactions, and esports partnerships. Blizzard has studios in the United States, France, and China. The company employs approximately 13,000 people globally as of 2023. In October 2023, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King for $68.7B, making Blizzard a division of Microsoft Gaming alongside Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks (per Microsoft, October 2023). The acquisition was reviewed by regulators in the US, UK, and EU. Blizzard's structural differentiator is its franchise lifecycle model — it builds proprietary intellectual property from scratch and sustains it for decades through expansions, sequels, and live-service revenue models. This contrasts with many game publishers that license IP or rely on shorter product cycles. The company has weathered leadership changes and cultural controversies while maintaining one of the most loyal player communities in the industry.

## Sectors

- Media & Entertainment
- Enterprise Software
- AI/ML

## Offices

- Irvine, CA, United States

## People

- Mike Ybarra — President
- Allen Adham — Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer

## Questions

### Who runs Blizzard Entertainment now?

Blizzard's president is Mike Ybarra, a longtime Microsoft executive who joined Blizzard in 2019 after 22 years at Microsoft. Allen Adham remains co-founder and chief design officer. The studio reports to Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, who oversees Blizzard under Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.

### What franchises does Blizzard own?

Blizzard owns the Warcraft franchise (including World of Warcraft, launched 2004), StarCraft (1998), Diablo (1997), Overwatch (2016), and Hearthstone (2014). These are entirely internally developed IP. The company also co-developed and published the mobile game Diablo Immortal alongside NetEase.

### Is Blizzard still independent after the Microsoft acquisition?

No — Blizzard is a division of Microsoft Gaming, alongside Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. The October 2023 acquisition folded Activision Blizzard King into Microsoft. Blizzard retains its branding, leadership team, and development studios, but reports through Microsoft's gaming hierarchy.

### Does Blizzard have investment or family-office operations?

Blizzard Entertainment itself is a corporate subsidiary of Microsoft, not a family office or asset manager. It does not deploy outside capital or manage family wealth. The company focuses exclusively on video game development and publishing.

### Where can I find public financial information about Blizzard?

Blizzard no longer reports separately; its financials are consolidated within Microsoft's Gaming segment. Historical data is available via Activision Blizzard's SEC filings (before October 2023) and Microsoft's quarterly earnings reports, which include the Xbox content and services revenue line.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/blizzard-entertainment

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