ReportInvestGame
Gaming Deals Activity Report: Q1'22 Supermassive Start of the Year
1 Jan 202224 pages~29 min full read
Total gaming industry deal value reached $15.2 billion across 262 transactions in Q1 2022, marking a significant contraction driven by a 90% drop in public offerings to $0.5 billion.
See it on page 3Blockchain-powered gaming saw a massive surge, accounting for $1.6 billion across 88 deals, representing an eleven-fold increase in deal count and a nineteen-fold jump in value year-over-year.
See it on page 4Mergers and acquisitions saw a 76% year-over-year decline in total value, though the period was defined by high-profile mega-deals including Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Take-Two’s $12.7 billion purchase of Zynga.
See it on page 5Private investment activity grew by 36% year-over-year, totaling $3.2 billion across 174 deals, with blockchain ventures accounting for half of this total capital raised.
See it on page 6M&A transaction volume remained steady at 81 deals, though the total value of these transactions fell 23% to $4.35 billion.
See it on page 3Early-stage funding experienced a 26% drop in deal count to 37 rounds, though the average size of seed and Series A investments increased, totaling $334 million.
See it on page 15The report examines gaming‑industry transactions during the first quarter of 2022, revealing a sharp contraction in overall deal value compared with the same period in 2021. Total closed deals reached $15.2 billion across 262 transactions, a decline driven almost entirely by a 90% drop in public offerings that fell to $0.5 billion. Private‑investment activity, however, expanded, with $3.2 billion raised in 174 deals—a 36% year‑over‑year increase—half of which came from blockchain‑powered gaming ventures that captured $1.6 billion.
Mergers and acquisitions maintained a steady volume of 81 deals but saw a 23% decline in value to $4.35 billion, with the gaming sector accounting for 35% of that figure ($4 billion). Mega‑acquisitions such as Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard and Take‑Two’s $12.7 billion acquisition of Zynga underscored the sector’s high‑profile activity, even as overall M&A value fell 76% year‑over‑year.
Early‑stage funding contracted, with seed and Series A rounds totaling 37 deals that raised $334 million—an increase in average size but a 26% drop in count. Late‑stage rounds remained sizable, highlighted by Dream Games’ $255 million Series C. The blockchain gaming sub‑sector rebounded strongly, with 88 deals raising $1.6 billion—an eleven‑fold increase in count and a nineteen‑fold jump in value from the previous year. The analysis covers global activity across all gaming segments for Q1 2022, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the market’s shifting dynamics.
