Introduction:
As a gaming enthusiast, you may have heard rumors about the ownership of Call of Duty (CoD). Many believe that Electronic Arts (EA) owns the franchise. However, is this really true? In this article, we will explore the ownership structure of CoD and answer the question once and for all: Is EA owned by Activision?
Ownership Structure:
Activision Blizzard, a subsidiary of Microsoft, created the Call of Duty franchise in 2003. The company developed and published the first game, "Call of Duty." However, as the franchise grew, it became necessary to bring on more developers and publishers to help create and distribute the games.
EA entered the picture in 2017 when they signed a deal with Activision to publish Call of Duty: WWII. This move was significant because EA had never published a Call of Duty game before. However, it was not a permanent agreement. In 2020, Activision announced that they would be ending their partnership with EA and taking the publishing rights back for future games in the franchise.
Conclusion:
While Activision Blizzard created the Call of Duty franchise, they have not owned it outright since the beginning. Instead, the ownership has shifted between different companies over the years. Currently, Activision is the primary developer and publisher of the franchise, with Microsoft owning a portion of the intellectual property rights through their acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2021.
FAQs:
- Is Activision owned by EA?
No, Activision is not owned by EA. However, they have partnered with EA to publish Call of Duty games in the past. - Who owns the Call of Duty franchise?
Activision Blizzard created the franchise and has been a significant developer and publisher of the games. Currently, Activision is the primary developer and publisher of the franchise.
