Windows 10 To Have Candy Crush Saga Pre-installed

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Microsoft announced Thursday that the blockbuster Candy Crush Saga will come pre-installed on its upcoming Windows 10 operating system. Of course, the software will also include classic games like Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts. Developed by King Digital, Candy Crush Saga has taken the gaming world by storm ever since its launch in 2012.

Other King games will also be available on Windows 10

King’s blockbuster game debuted on Windows Phone in December, and with Windows 10, it will be available on the desktop too. The Redmond-based software giant said that Candy Crush Saga will automatically be installed for customers who “upgrade to or download Windows 10 for periods of time following the game launch.”

As an added bonus, other King Digital games will also be coming to Windows 10, which is expected to arrive later this summer. But Microsoft did not specify whether they too will be automatically installed upon release. Candy Crush Saga is a notoriously addictive game “that’s swept the mobile world like wildfire,” says Microsoft.

In 2014, Candy Crush Saga players spent a whopping $1.33 billion on in-app purchases for powerups and extra turns. According to market research firm App Annie, the match-3 puzzler is the most popular game in 10 countries, and is among the top 10 games in 100 countries. Over 150 million people play the game daily on Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices.

Is Microsoft forcing Candy Crush Saga on you?

For those who don’t want it, Microsoft is forcing the addictive game upon you. It’s nothing more than a third-party bloatware for such users. But Microsoft is going to make money, probably through a revenue sharing deal. Earlier this week, the software giant said that Windows 10 will be available in seven versions targeted at different users. This includes Windows 10 Home, Pro, Mobile, Mobile Enterprise, Education, Enterprise, and IoT Core.

With the next-gen software, Microsoft is killing the Windows Phone moniker that has failed to catch up with Android and iOS even five years after its release.

Microsoft shares rose 0.27% to $48.85 in pre-market trading Friday.

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