Videogame Maker Activision Blizzard Joins S&P 500 Index

Santa Monica-based videogame maker Activision Blizzard will join the S&P 500 index of leading American companies when the markets open for business on Monday.

The company that produces “World of Warcraft,” “Call of Duty” and other games — and inspires their movie adaptations — will join the widely-watched measure of equities. The video and software maker will replace the industrial machinery company Pall Corp. in the 500.

“Joining the S&P 500 is a reflection of our talented teams’ passion, hard work and commitment to excellence,” said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. “We believe we are well-positioned for long-term growth, and we look forward to continuing to deliver value to our audiences and investors.”

The company has projected revenue of more than $4.4 billion for this year. Activision Blizzard claims more than 150 million active users worldwide annually. The company is bringing back an old favorite, “Guitar Hero,” to be available on consoles, tablets and mobile phones this fall.

The company’s games have also inspired film projects. Universal will release “Warcraft,” produced by Atlas Entertainment, Legendary Pictures and Blizzard Entertainment, on June 10, 2016.

Activision Blizzard will appear in the S&P listings along with entertainment giants like Time Warner, Comcast, Viacom and Disney. An earlier watershed for the videogame maker came when it was named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by Fortune magazine.

Related stories

Activision Blizzard Earnings Better Than Expected for Q1

Activision Blizzard Posts Record 2014 Results on 'Call of Duty,' 'Skylanders,' 'Warcraft'

'Call of Duty Online' Invades China as Activision Franchise Looks to Conquer Major New Market

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter