The biggest video gaming companies across the world
Video gaming is a lucrative industry and is now estimated to be worth over 130 billion U.S. dollars, with predictions being made that this figure will rise to $321 billion by the year 2026. Gaming has evolved hugely over the years as technology has developed and companies have invested more in creating new experiences for players.
Some games have seen significant growth in popularity in recent years, including online casino games, first person shooter titles and action games. The rise of the gaming industry has allowed major video game companies to become successful and well known. The casino industry for example is saturated with online providers, but established casino providers are still a popular choice amongst players.
With the fierce competition, companies need to be able to predict future trends and respond to the changing wants and needs of their customers.
Here are some of the most successful and well known video gaming companies around the world:
Xbox Game Studios
Part of the Microsoft gaming division, Xbox Game Studios, previously named Microsoft Studios, was formed in 2000 with the initial aim of developing games for Microsoft Windows. Based in Washington, United States, the company has expanded its range across other operating systems and now creates games for consoles, PC and mobile devices.
There are now 23 gaming studios under Xbox Games Studios, each focused on different gaming franchises. They have published some of the biggest games in history, including Minecraft, Fallout, DOOM, The Elder Scrolls, Halo, Age of Empires and Microsoft Flight Simulator.
As Microsoft looks to acquire more gaming studios, we can expect their gaming division to continue to grow substantially in the years ahead.
Electronic Arts
Another American gaming company known worldwide is Electronic Arts. Based in California, the company was founded in 1982 by an Apple employee and focused on the development of early home computer games.
They began in the 80s developing and marketing games for the Amiga, an early personal computer introduced by Commodore. Deluxe Paint was one of the first notable releases for the Amiga in 1985. They have now grown to be one of the global leaders in digital interactive entertainment, offering content, games and services for consoles, computers and mobile devices.
EA now has more than 600 million active players and content consumers each month, with some of the most popular game franchises including The Sims, F1, Madden NFL, Apex Legends, Battlefield, Need for Speed and Titanfall.
They are also responsible for the EA Sports FIFA series. The FIFA series has now been renamed as EA Sports FC after they were unable to agree an extension to their licensing agreement with FIFA.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is a video game and entertainment company owned by the Japanese conglomerate Sony. Founded 29 years ago in Tokyo, Japan, SIE is now headquartered in San Mateo, California.
It is responsible for the development of games for the PlayStation console, which was first released in 1994. It also handles all research and development for Playstation hardware and software and has now sold more than 580 million consoles worldwide.
There are some notable statistics about the Playstation family of products and services, for example PlayStation Network now has 108 million active monthly users. Furthermore, PlayStation Plus currently has more than 47 million subscribers around the world.
The God of War Ragnarök game is one the their most popular and has sold more than 11 million units so far. Also very popular is the Horizon franchise, which has sold more than 32.7 million copies.
Nintendo
Another highly successful Japanese gaming company is Nintendo. Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, Nintendo has a very long history having been originally developed in 1889 – 133 years ago.
They began by developing playing card games but since the 1970s they have become known for the development of electronic gaming systems and games. The Laser Clay Shooting System was one of their earliest releases and was followed by the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda are two of the most popular titles developed for the NES and have since been reimagined for Nintendo’s modern gaming products. The Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo Switch have become some if the most popular gaming consoles in the last couple of decades.
Nintendo of America is well known for its high-profile marketing campaigns. Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Pokemon are some of the most popular games on Nintendo consoles today.
Activision Blizzard
Based in California, Activision Blizzard was founded in 2008 through a merger with Activision. It has heavily invested in esports games and is best known for titles such as Overwatch and Call of Duty.
They are also responsible for major games such as Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Spyro, Skylanders, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo and Hearthstone. Recently, plans for Microsoft to acquire the company have hit the headlines.
In July 2023, Microsoft won its court battle with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), allowing them to proceed with the acquisition in a deal that is estimated to be worth $68.7bn.
