Income Taxes (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred tax assets:
Allowance for sales returns and price protection	$ 74	$ 63
Inventory reserve	9us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory	8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory
Accrued expenses	38	48
Deferred revenue	291us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	273us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Tax credit carryforwards	50	35
Net operating loss carryforwards	10	11
Stock-based compensation	69	91
Transaction costs	9atvi_DeferredTaxAssetsTransactionCosts	11atvi_DeferredTaxAssetsTransactionCosts
Other	13us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	25us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Deferred tax assets	563us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	565us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Valuation allowance	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance	563us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet	565us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangibles	(169)	(152)
Prepaid royalties	(22)	(71)
Capitalized software development expenses	(84)	(60)
State taxes	(34)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsStateTaxes	(27)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsStateTaxes
Deferred tax liabilities	(309)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	(310)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)	254us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	255us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Foreign	36
Federal
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Gross tax credit carryforwards	18
State
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Gross tax credit carryforwards	$ 97

This element represents the tax effect as of the balance sheet date of the amount of the estimated future tax deductions arising from allowances for sales returns and price protection, and which can only be realized if sufficient tax-basis income is generated in future periods to enable the deduction to be taken.

No definition available.