4 video game giants left: Tencent, Microsoft, Sony Playstation and Nintendo
European regulators have launched an investigation into Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the biggest buyout in video game history.
The deal announced in January capped a series of blockbuster takeovers that has left four major players still standing in an industry estimated to be worth $300 billion.
China-based Tencent is the biggest player in the market in terms of revenue.
It is a huge player in the Asian market and has been investing in game studios outside its home country.
The firm owns Riot Games, maker of battle royale hit "League of Legends", and has stakes in French game stars Ubisoft and Activision.
It also acquired the Finnish studio Supercell ("Clash of Clans", "Clash Royale", "Brawl Stars") in 2016 for $8.6 billion -- a record at the time.
Japanese consumer electronics colossus Sony has sold more than 500 million copies of its PlayStation since 1994.
Through a subsidiary it controls a host of studios -- including Insomniac and Housemarque -- that have developed exclusive titles for its machines such as the "Spider-Man" saga.
The recent acquisition of Bungie, the makers of "Halo" and "Destiny", for $3.6 billion will strengthen its games portfolio -- though "Halo" is still owned by Microsoft.
Sony has also invested in Epic Games, the company behind "Fortnite".
The American behemoth pitched the biggest acquisition in the history of the sector in January with its offer to buy Activision Blizzard for $69 billion.
The deal would put into its hands major titles such as "Call of Duty", "World of Warcraft" and "Diablo".
But regulators in the European Union and Britain have now opened investigations into the deal.
The group behind the Xbox consoles already has control of major games titles like "Minecraft", "Elder
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