Esports Stocks: 3 Biggest Companies in 2022

Market cap: US$62.61 billion

First on this list of large esports stocks is Activision Blizzard. This California-based interactive entertainment company has an impressive portfolio of popular games, including the ubiquitous and lucrative Candy Crush Saga, as well as World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, Overwatch, Call of Duty and many more well-known games.

The company’s platform has five operating units: Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, King Digital Entertainment, Major League Gaming and Activision Blizzard Studios. Both the Activision and Blizzard Entertainment departments create, publish and distribute video games, but they have different streams.

For instance, Activision works on games like Call of Duty, whereas Blizzard works on the likes of World of Warcraft and its related franchises. King Digital Entertainment is the department related to mobile games like Candy Crush Saga, and Major League Gaming works on community building and user experience. And finally, Activision Blizzard Studios is in charge of creating content for film and television.

The company covers a lot of ground and produces a huge number of video games that are played by both professional gamers on esports teams and casual gamers. It’s no wonder that this brand has gained a lot of recognition for being an industry standout and a video game stock with investing potential.

Market cap: US$36.55 billion

Electronic Arts is one of the world’s leading esports companies. Its video game offerings cover many genres, from sports to action/adventure to role playing to family games. Among others, the company owns key major titles such as the The Sims, Madden NFL, FIFA, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Dragon Age and Plants vs. Zombies.

The California-headquartered company is also known for its competitive gaming series, which focuses on its signature FIFA and Madden NFL games. For FIFA players, the ultimate goal is make it to the company’s FIFA eWorld Cup, where the top 64 players are invited to compete.

FIFA 2023 will for the first time include women’s club teams. “The result is the most natural and realistic motion in football gaming, and when combined with the inclusion of both men’s and women’s World Cups, women’s club football, and cross-play features, will immerse players and football fans around the world for years to come,” said Nick Wlodyka, senior vice president and general manager of EA Sports FC.

Market cap: US$20.66 billion

Take-Two Interactive Software is a leading interactive games developer and publisher with a number of well-known labels, such as Rockstar Games, 2K and Private Division, as well as Social Point, a leading developer of mobile games. Take-Two’s most popular games include Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K, Hades and Red Dead Redemption.

The company’s products are designed for console systems, handheld gaming systems, personal computers, smartphones and tablets. Take-Two’s offerings are available globally through physical retail stores, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services.

Together with the National Basketball Association (NBA), Take-Two Interactive co-founded the NBA 2K League, a professional esports league that launched in 2018. The league features 23 six player teams that compete in five-on-five play in a mix of regular season games, tournaments and playoffs.

In May 2022, Take-Two completed its merger with interactive entertainment company Zynga. “We are thrilled to complete our combination with Zynga, which is a pivotal step to increase exponentially our Net Bookings from mobile, the fastest-growing segment in interactive entertainment, while also providing us with substantial cost synergies and revenue opportunities,” said Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Take-Two.