Riccardo Zacconi
LUISS University, Rome · King / Candy Crush
From Italian Business Student to Creating the Most Addictive Game Ever
20 February 2026
Riccardo Zacconi studied business at LUISS University in Rome before moving into the European tech scene. After various roles in media and gaming, he co-founded King in 2003 in Stockholm as a casual gaming portal.
The Casual Gaming Bet
King initially made browser-based games for its own portal. The company struggled for years, going through multiple pivots before finding its formula in simple, addictive puzzle games.
Candy Crush Takes Over
Candy Crush Saga launched on Facebook in 2012 and mobile in 2012. It became the most downloaded game in the world, with 93 million daily players at its peak. The game generated over $1 billion in annual revenue from in-app purchases.
$5.9 Billion Acquisition
Activision Blizzard acquired King for $5.9 billion in 2016. Zacconi's story is a lesson in persistence — King operated for nearly a decade before hitting its breakout product. Sometimes massive success takes much longer than overnight.
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