Activision essentially prints money, according to the company’s latest set of financial results.
In the three months up to September 30th, Activision Blizzard’s profits almost tripled from $51 million to a staggering $148 million in comparison to the same three months last year. The publisher’s net sales only saw a modest increase from $745 million to $754 million, but the company managed to reduce its total overheads by 14.3 per cent to $592 million.
Interestingly, of their $754 million total net sales $427 million came from digital channels – a 16 per cent increase year on year.
If you’re wondering whether those mega profits come from, Edge reports that Call of Duty: Black Ops was the best selling console game in the US and Europe for each of the last three quarters. Activision has also managed to shift a massive 20 million map packs for the title since its release.
The company has also announced that it expects Call of Duty: Elite to reach one million subscribers before the end of the year.
All I can say to that is: ho-lee-cripes!
Source: investor press release.
DJ Judas
So it’s their reduction in costs that has resulted in a massive profit increase. Fair play to them, interesting how much DLC they managed to flog while only increasing their net sales slightly.
KeRaSh
Overpriced map packs are the way to go then, huh?
ScottW-1976
It would certainly appear so wouldn’t it.
TBH, they are clearly overpriced for what they are, but if you look at the extra hours of gaming they can add…
KeRaSh
I’m pretty sure most people would have still spent all these hours into the game without map packs. Compare the effort it takes to create 5 maps of which 2 are from the last game to some full games out there on Steam, PSN or XBLA for the same price or less. It’s ridiculous and they are clearly taking advantage of people who are addicted to the game.
beeje13
Hey looks like Online pass isn’t neccessarily the best idea!
kivi95
Nope instead they have overpriced DLCs.
beeje13
Not everybody buys them, and at least dlc’s aren’t compulsory.
colmshan1990
Not everybody plays online either…
TheDemocrodile
anyone else hear the star wars imperial theme in their head when they see the names activision and blizzard? :D
although i will say that blizzard only joined the empire when they provided no way to play diablo 3 offline grrr.
yogdog
Maybe they could risk some money on a new IP?
KeRaSh
Or a new engine. ;)
beeje13
Time, not money the problem there.
bacon_nuts
Time isn’t a problem, they could afford whole new studios to spend days on stuff..
bacon_nuts
* meant to add, greed is surely the problem.
Awayze
Maybe they could invest in a new game engine which runs at 720p 60fps minimum.
hazelam
how many map packs did they sell this year?
Pete_UK
They may have made a lot of money, but they’re still lazy, profiteering asshats. I hope Valve can come in with CS:Go and take some of the wind out of their sails.
KeRaSh
I really hope CS:GO delivers. The CS franchise is probably the only one that would make me enter the competitive MP scene (again).
RFC2007
My latest overpriced map pack cost me £38.91. I swear this is the last time I fall for the hype!!
bunimomike
Sell it and recoup what you can.
Awayze
It was a horrible map pack too.
The Lone Steven
Seeing as they has a lot of spare cash nowadays, maybe they could work on a new IP that is not an FPS? ;)
Actlizard will continue to make obscene amounts of cash due to two franchises, WOW and COD.