Jan 31 (Reuters) - The videogame industry received a massive fillip from the
COVID-19 pandemic as people increasingly turned to digital entertainment during
lockdowns, and firms in the sector consolidated to boost their library of
popular titles.
    The global games market in 2021 generated total revenues of $180.3 billion
and it is expected to generate revenues of $218.8 billion by 2024, according to
data analytics firm Newzoo. 
    Videogame companies have also sharpened their focus on mobile games as
restrictions ease and people ditch their PCs and TV screens to step outside. The
mobile gaming market is likely to reach a size of $116.4 billion by 2024,
according to Newzoo.
    Xbox maker Microsoft Corp said on Jan. 18 that it would buy "Call
of Duty" videogame maker Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in cash,
the largest deal in the sector.
    Here is a list of the biggest videogame deals in the past few years: 
    
    Date        Acquirer        Target    Deal Value  Popular
                                                      Games
 Jan. 2022   Microsoft Corp   Activision  $68.7 bln   Call of
                              Blizzard                Duty, Candy
                                                      Crush Saga
 Jan. 2022   Take-Two         Zynga       $11.04 bln  FarmVille
             Interactive                              
                                                      
 June 2016   Tencent          Supercell   $8.6 bln    Clash of
             Holdings-led     Oy                      Clans,
             investor group                           Brawl Stars
 Sept. 2020  Microsoft Corp   Zenimax     $7.5 bln    The Elder
                                                      Scrolls 
 Nov. 2015   Activision       King        $5.9 bln    Candy Crush
             Blizzard                                 Saga 
 July 2016   Chinese          Playtika    $4.4 bln    Best
             investor group                           Fiends,
                                                      Bingo blitz
 Jan. 2022   Sony             Bungie Inc  $3.6 bln    Destiny,
             Interactive                              Marathon,
             Entertainment                            Myth, Halo
                                                      
                                                      
 Sept. 2014  Microsoft Corp   Mojang      $2.5 bln    Minecraft
                              Studios                 
 Feb. 2021   Electronic Arts  Glu Mobile  $2.4 bln    Kim
                                                      Kardashian:
                                                      Hollywood
 June 2021   Electronic Arts  Playdemic   $1.4 bln    Golf Clash
 Source: Refinitiv, an LSEG Business

 (Reporting by Eva Mathews and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by
Ramakrishnan M. and Amy Caren Daniel)