Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) is one of the world's largest video game publishers and distributors. Along with primary competitor Electronic Arts (ERTS), ATVI develops software for the PC and video game console markets. The company is home to the popular games: Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Starcraft. The company reported net revenue of $4.3 billion and net income of $113 million in 2009.^[1]

Prior to acquiring Blizzard, Activision's focus was on console games. However, because of rampant piracy of these single-licensed games, the company had a difficult time making profits overseas in countries like China. The acquisition of the online gaming giant Blizzard allowed the company to expand its reach into countries like China because online games charge a recurring monthly fee instead of a single upfront purchase. The company's World of Warcraft game had 11.5 million active users in 2009, 1 million of which were located in China. Long term growth in the online gaming industry will be important as China's online services are growing by 30% annually, half of which is represented by online gaming.^[2]

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