Share-Based Compensation - Stock-Based Compensation Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	$ 209	$ 178	$ 159
Income tax benefit	(46)	(34)	(42)
Total share-based compensation expense, net of income tax benefit	163	144	117
Cost of revenues—product sales: Software royalties, amortization, and intellectual property licenses
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	13	10	20
Cost of revenues—subscription, licensing, and other revenues: Game Operations and Distribution Costs
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	2	1	2
Cost of revenues—subscription, licensing, and other revenues: Software royalties, amortization, and intellectual property licenses
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	3	3	2
Product development
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	61	57	47
Sales and marketing
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	15	15	15
General and administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes	$ 115	$ 92	$ 73

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expense, net of income tax, recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpenseNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=atvi_CostofRevenuesProductSalesSoftwareRoyaltiesAmortizationandIntellectualPropertyLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=atvi_CostofRevenuesSubscriptionLicensingandOtherGameOperationsandDistributionCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=atvi_CostofRevenuesSubscriptionLicensingandOtherSoftwareRoyaltiesAmortizationandIntellectualPropertyLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=atvi_ProductDevelopmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingAndMarketingExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: