Activision Blizzard wants to significantly expand into mobile gaming

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Call of Duty: Mobile has been a certified hit

Call of Duty: Mobile
(Image credit: Activision)

It sure sounds like Activision Blizzard is getting ready to make a bigger push into the mobile gaming space.

Over the weekend, Gamasutra reported that Activision Blizzard president and COO Daniel Alegre spoke about enabling the company's franchises on the "billions of mobile devices that are available right now." The president went on to say "that's by far our biggest opportunity and we're investing meaningfully to capitalize on this," and that there's interest in bringing "all our franchises to mobile over time."

It's easy to see why Activision Blizzard wants to make a bigger splash in the world of mobile gaming. The company launched Call of Duty: Mobile near the end of 2019, and according to Activision president Robert Kostich, the free-to-play title has now crossed over 300 million downloads worldwide. The one-year anniversary celebration within Call of Duty: Mobile saw the strongest week in terms of gross bookings since launch.

Kostich outlines China as a strong potential market for mobile expansion, where Call of Duty: Mobile has been approved and is now in "final testing." But it's not just China that Activision Blizzard is looking to, as Kostich reveals that "Mexico and Brazil are top five markets for us in terms of both installs and revenue."

It's worth remembering that Activision Blizzard closed a deal to acquire developer King back in 2016. The Candy Crush developer is renowned in the mobile gaming space, with the developer's games topping 271 million users worldwide in the second quarter of 2020, a combined figure from Candy Crush, Bubble Witch Saga, and Farmville Saga.

Earlier this year in September, it was rumored that Activision was preparing to bring Call of Duty: Warzone to mobile. A job listing seemed to give the project away, and this could be Activision's next big venture for mobile.

If you're an avid Call of Duty: Mobile player, or looking to get into the game for the first time, check out our guide to the Call of Duty: Mobile best guns.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.