(Updates to specify Activision's figures are of sales into
retail stores)
By Ben Fox Rubin
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) said its "Call of Duty: Ghosts"
videogame topped $1 billion in worldwide retail sales in one
day.
The figure Activision provided, though, broke with the general
practice of reporting sell-through numbers, as Activision said it's
too early to assess those figures. Sell-through numbers report
sales to end customers. Instead, Activision supplied what it said
was sold into retail stores.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.'s (TTWO) "Grand Theft Auto V"
reported first-day sell-through sales of about $800 million a few
weeks ago, hitting a new first-day record, and reached $1 billion
after three days, though those numbers aren't directly comparable
with Activision's latest figures. Last year's "Call of Duty: Black
Ops II" reached $500 million in first-day sell-through sales and
hit $1 billion after 15 days.
Ghosts launched Tuesday at 15,000 midnight openings around the
world. The game is the latest version of Activision's popular war
simulation franchise. Still, Ghosts faced mixed reviews, with many
critics claiming the new title didn't offer enough fresh ideas.
The annual series has been a boon for Activision, which is set
to report third-quarter results later Wednesday. In past financial
filings, Activision has told investors that a substantial amount of
its revenue and profit come from three games: "Call of Duty" and
fantasy games "World of Warcraft" and "Skylanders."
Despite its popularity, "Call of Duty" has faced stiff
competition, not only from the rising trend of casual mobile games,
but other blockbuster franchises such as Electronic Arts Inc.'s
(EA) "Battlefield" and Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) "Halo," which are
also first-person shooter simulations.
Activision's shares were up 17 cents at $16.70 in early trading.
As of Tuesday's close, the stock was up 56% so far this year.
Write to Ben Fox Rubin at ben.rubin@wsj.com
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