Blizzard finishes 2025-2026 as Xbox's top-performing studio amid revenue rebound

What happened and why it matters

Blizzard ended its 2025-2026 financial year as the top-performing studio inside Xbox, and the studio posted its third-best revenue figure ever. According to a staff email from Blizzard president Johanna Faries, leaked to Windows Central and highlighted by Polygon, Blizzard also recorded two consecutive years of revenue growth for the first time in nearly a decade. That combination matters because it marks a clear financial uptick for a studio that has been through an extended period of instability, and it strengthens Blizzard's standing within Microsoft's broader portfolio.

Details from the leaked email

• Top-performing studio at Xbox, according to the staff communication reported by Polygon and originally leaked to Windows Central.
• Third-best revenue figure ever for Blizzard in the 2025-2026 financial year.
• Two consecutive years of growth, the first run of back-to-back growth in nearly ten years for the studio.

What this changes for players and Xbox

For players, stronger studio performance can translate into steadier support for live services, post-launch content and cross-platform work. For Xbox, having Blizzard as a high-performing internal studio gives Microsoft more leverage when planning investments, platform features and release calendars across console and PC gaming. The leaked email itself does not provide a breakdown by title or market, so the specific drivers behind the revenue numbers were not disclosed in the report.

What to watch next

Look for official financial disclosures from Blizzard or Microsoft that confirm the figures and provide more detail. Also watch how Blizzard frames this run of growth in future staff communications and public updates, and whether the studio's performance affects release plans or cross-platform support across Xbox, PC gaming and other platforms.