• BusinessWeek
• Business Exchange

By Matt Vella

Past Hits and Anticipated Sequels from the Game Maker

From its lowly beginnings in 1991 as a developer-for-hire making other companies' games, Irvine (Calif.)-based Blizzard Entertainment has become one of the world's most respected and profitable video game outfits. The game design powerhouse is the force behind the massively multiplayer game World of Warcraft (shown). With some 11 million subscribers, WOW is one of the world's most popular online games.

Last month, Blizzard closed its record-shattering $18.9 billion merger with Activision to become Activision Blizzard (ATVI). On Aug. 1, the new gaming giant reported strong profits for its fiscal first quarter, in sharp contrast to the losses posted by industry rivals THQ (THQ) and Electronic Arts (ERTS). With a host of hoped-for blockbusters in the works, here's a look at games in the offing—and some previous best sellers.