미국 대형 게임회사 액티비전 블리자드(Activision Blizzard Inc)가 성공적으로 2분기 목표를 뛰어 넘었다고 3일(현지시각) 보도했다.
액티비전 블리자드의 2분기 매출은 $1.64 billion(약 1조 8천5백억 원)으로 나타났으며, 전년동기(약 1조 8천 4백억 원) 대비 약 100억 이상 증가했다. 2분기 주당 순이익도 증권가가 예상했던 $0.35(약 395원) 보다 높은 $0.52(약 587 원)를 기록했다.
액티비전 블리자드의 상승세에는 배틀로얄 장르의 “배틀그라운드”와 “포트나이트”, 그리고 “콜 오브 듀티”의 막대한 성공이 뒷받침된 것으로 전해졌다.
엑티비전 블리자드는 2일 ‘월드오브워크래프트’ 차기 확장팩 ‘격전의 아제로스’와 ‘가시의 전쟁 제2장’을 추가했으며, 올 하반기 ‘콜 오브 듀티 블랙 옵스 4’ 출시 예정이다. 현재 ‘콜 오브 듀티 블랙 옵스 4’의 선주문이 폭주하고 있다고 전했다.
액티비전 블리자드의 경쟁회사인 일렉트로닉 아츠(Electronic Arts)와 테이크투인터랙티브 소프트웨어(Take-Two Interactive Software)도 올 하반기에 “피파 19”, “NBA 2K 19”, “레드 데드 리뎀션 2”, “배틀필드 V”와 같은 게임들을 선보일 예정이다.
엑티비전(Activision) 또한 오버워치 리그를 통해 이스포츠에 발을 들여놓았으며, ESPN과 디즈니 XD(Disney XD)를 통해 미국 전국에 실시간 라이브를 제공했다.
액티비전 블리자드 로버트 코틱(Robert Kotick) CEO는 “이스포츠의 인기가 나날이 커지고 있다”며 “오버워치 리그의 성공을 발판으로 새로운 이스포츠를 기획해보고 싶다”는 의사를 밝혔다.
Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI.O) topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on Thursday, driven by sales of its blockbuster videogame, “Call of Duty”, but forecast current-quarter and full-year revenue below expectations.
The company is slated to release “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” as well as “World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth” and “Destiny 2: Forsaken” in the second half of the year.
“Pre-orders are strong,” Activision President Collister Johnson said on a post-earnings call.
The company forecast 2018 adjusted profit of $2.58 per share and revenue of $7.48 billion, while the Street was expecting a profit of $2.60 per share and revenue of $7.52 billion.
Rivals Electronic Arts (EA.O) and Take Two Interactive Software (TTWO.O) have also lined up a clutch of games such as “FIFA 19”, “NBA 2K 19”, “Red Dead Redemption 2” and “Battlefield V” to be released in the second half of 2018.
The results from videogamers come in the backdrop of the massive success of games from the “battle royale” genre such as “Fortnite” and “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds”.
Activision is also tapping into the rising popularity of e-sports through its Overwatch league and recently signed a multi-year agreement with ESPN and Disney XD for live coverage of the league.
“As the mainstream popularity of e-sports continues to grow, we’re well positioned to leverage the success of our Overwatch League model to develop new eSports opportunities in the future,” Chief Executive Robert Kotick said on the call.
Activision said it expected third-quarter adjusted revenue of $1.62 billion and profit of 47 cents per share, below analysts’ average estimate of $1.87 billion and 66 cents per share.
Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said the lower current-quarter forecast was primarily because the year-ago period was boosted by the success of “Destiny 2”. The game brought in around $450 million a year ago, he said.
The videogame publisher’s net income jumped to $402 million, or 52 cents per share, in the second quarter, from $243 million or 32 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company earned 41 cents per share, beating the average analyst estimate of 35 cents.
The company, which is behind popular franchises such as “Skylanders”, said total adjusted revenue fell 2.3 percent to $1.39 billion in the quarter.
Analysts on average had expected $1.38 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Shares of the company seesawed in after-market trading, to be down marginally at $73.40.
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