The Microsoft Corporation is an American international computer technology company. It develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its most popular products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software, each of which has achieved near-ubiquity in the desktop computer market. Microsoft possesses footholds in other markets, with assets such as the MSNBC cable television network, the MSN Internet portal, and the Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia. The company also markets both computer hardware products such as the Microsoft mouse as well as home entertainment products such as the Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Kinect, and MSN TV.

Microsoft was the parent company of Bungie LLC, and is still the parent company of Wingnut Interactive. Its internal team, 343 Industries, is responsible for creating new properties for the Halo franchise, for which Microsoft now owns.