Activision bought Candy Crush, now launches film studio

To expand beyond console-based games, first production will be \"Skylanders Academy

Activision Blizzard Inc has launched a film and TV studio to create original content based on its popular videogame franchises such as \"Call of Duty\" and \"Hearthstone\" in its latest push to expand beyond console-based games. Activision Blizzard Studios' first production will be \"Skylanders Academy,\" an animated TV series based on the company's toys-to-life videogame \"Skylanders\", the company said in a statement.

A \"near-term\" project for the videogame maker's film and TV studio will be to develop a movie franchise based on the hugely successful military first-person shooter \"Call of Duty\". The company said it would also consider adapting the franchise for TV.

\"Warcraft\", Activision's other well-known game franchise, is already being made into a film through a partnership between its Blizzard Entertainment unit and Legendary Pictures, and is slated for a 2016 release.

Activision said last month it would start an e-sports division to tap into the fast-growing competitive gaming market, where gamers play against each other for prize money. Earlier this week, Activision agreed to buy \"Candy Crush\" creator King Digital Entertainment Plc for $5.9 billion to sharpen its focus on mobile games.

Activision's highly anticipated \"Call of Duty: Black Ops III\" game went on sale earlier on Friday.