Operating Segments and Geographic Region (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment	3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 1,825,000,000	$ 1,965,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(567,000,000)	(581,000,000)
Segment revenues	1,258,000,000	1,384,000,000
Operating income	570,000,000	595,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets	(55,000,000)	(119,000,000)
Restructuring costs	(57,000,000)	0
Interest and other expense (income), net	3,000,000	28,000,000
Income before income tax expense	567,000,000	567,000,000
Long-lived assets	264,000,000		$ 282,000,000
Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	1,393,000,000	1,463,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(328,000,000)	(258,000,000)
Segment revenues	1,065,000,000	1,205,000,000
Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	313,000,000	409,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(233,000,000)	(330,000,000)
Segment revenues	80,000,000	79,000,000
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	119,000,000	93,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(6,000,000)	7,000,000
Segment revenues	113,000,000	100,000,000
Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	677,000,000	817,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(398,000,000)	(510,000,000)
Segment revenues	279,000,000	307,000,000
PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	494,000,000	519,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(149,000,000)	(69,000,000)
Segment revenues	345,000,000	450,000,000
Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	535,000,000	536,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(14,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Segment revenues	521,000,000	527,000,000
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	119,000,000	93,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(6,000,000)	7,000,000
Segment revenues	113,000,000	100,000,000
Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	988,000,000	1,065,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(318,000,000)	(333,000,000)
Segment revenues	670,000,000	$ 732,000,000
Long-lived assets	$ 192,000,000		203,000,000
US | Revenues | Geographic Concentration Risk
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues as a percentage of consolidated net revenues	49.00%	47.00%
EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 614,000,000	$ 687,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(200,000,000)	(200,000,000)
Segment revenues	414,000,000	$ 487,000,000
Long-lived assets	$ 58,000,000		62,000,000
UK | Revenues | Geographic Concentration Risk
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues as a percentage of consolidated net revenues	10.00%	11.00%
Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 223,000,000	$ 213,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(49,000,000)	(48,000,000)
Segment revenues	174,000,000	165,000,000
Long-lived assets	14,000,000		$ 17,000,000
Activision
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	(9,000,000)
Blizzard
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	(26,000,000)
King
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	(8,000,000)
Other segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	(14,000,000)
Reportable segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,190,000,000	1,326,000,000
Operating income	306,000,000	405,000,000
Reportable segments | Net revenues from external customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,185,000,000	1,325,000,000
Reportable segments | Intersegment net revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	5,000,000	1,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	763,000,000	872,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(446,000,000)	(560,000,000)
Segment revenues	317,000,000	312,000,000
Operating income	73,000,000	92,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Net revenues from external customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	317,000,000	312,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Intersegment net revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | Activision | Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	466,000,000	476,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(217,000,000)	(232,000,000)
Segment revenues	249,000,000	244,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	297,000,000	396,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(229,000,000)	(328,000,000)
Segment revenues	68,000,000	68,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | Activision | Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	635,000,000	769,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(386,000,000)	(491,000,000)
Segment revenues	249,000,000	278,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	124,000,000	99,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(59,000,000)	(69,000,000)
Segment revenues	65,000,000	30,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	4,000,000	4,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(1,000,000)	0
Segment revenues	3,000,000	4,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | Activision | Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	458,000,000	510,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(267,000,000)	(328,000,000)
Segment revenues	191,000,000	182,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	243,000,000	305,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(146,000,000)	(198,000,000)
Segment revenues	97,000,000	107,000,000
Reportable segments | Activision | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	62,000,000	57,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(33,000,000)	(34,000,000)
Segment revenues	29,000,000	23,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	461,000,000	508,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(117,000,000)	(28,000,000)
Segment revenues	344,000,000	480,000,000
Operating income	55,000,000	122,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Net revenues from external customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	339,000,000	479,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Intersegment net revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	5,000,000	1,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	406,000,000	455,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(114,000,000)	(27,000,000)
Segment revenues	292,000,000	428,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	16,000,000	13,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(4,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Segment revenues	12,000,000	11,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	39,000,000	40,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	1,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	40,000,000	41,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	42,000,000	48,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(12,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Segment revenues	30,000,000	29,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	342,000,000	378,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(90,000,000)	0
Segment revenues	252,000,000	378,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	38,000,000	42,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(16,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Segment revenues	22,000,000	32,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	39,000,000	40,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	1,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	40,000,000	41,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	207,000,000	234,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(54,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Segment revenues	153,000,000	228,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	148,000,000	169,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(47,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Segment revenues	101,000,000	161,000,000
Reportable segments | Blizzard | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	106,000,000	105,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(16,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Segment revenues	90,000,000	91,000,000
Reportable segments | King
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	526,000,000	533,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	3,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	529,000,000	534,000,000
Operating income	178,000,000	191,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Net revenues from external customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	529,000,000	534,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Intersegment net revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | King | Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	526,000,000	533,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	3,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	529,000,000	534,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | King | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | King | Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | King | PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	33,000,000	43,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	33,000,000	43,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	493,000,000	490,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	3,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	496,000,000	491,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Reportable segments | King | Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	326,000,000	322,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	3,000,000	1,000,000
Segment revenues	329,000,000	323,000,000
Reportable segments | King | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	144,000,000	160,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	144,000,000	160,000,000
Reportable segments | King | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	56,000,000	51,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	56,000,000	51,000,000
Non-reportable segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	80,000,000	53,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(7,000,000)	6,000,000
Segment revenues	73,000,000	59,000,000
Non-reportable segments | Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	80,000,000	53,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(7,000,000)	6,000,000
Segment revenues	73,000,000	59,000,000
Non-reportable segments | Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	80,000,000	53,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(7,000,000)	6,000,000
Segment revenues	73,000,000	59,000,000
Non-reportable segments | Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Non-reportable segments | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	80,000,000	53,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	(7,000,000)	6,000,000
Segment revenues	73,000,000	59,000,000
Non-reportable segments | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Digital online channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Retail channels
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Console
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | PC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Mobile and ancillary
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	0	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(3,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(3,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Elimination of intersegment revenues | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(1,000,000)	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(1,000,000)	0
Elimination of intersegment revenues | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues	(1,000,000)	0
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	0	0
Segment revenues	(1,000,000)	0
Reconciling items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues	567,000,000	581,000,000
Net effect from recognition (deferral) of deferred net revenues and related cost of revenues	441,000,000	373,000,000
Share-based compensation expense	(63,000,000)	(53,000,000)
Amortization of intangible assets	(54,000,000)	(119,000,000)
Restructuring costs	(57,000,000)	0
Reconciling items | Other segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	$ (3,000,000)	$ (11,000,000)