Activision Blizzard raises annual sales forecast on 'Call of Duty' boost

FILE PHOTO: The entrance to the Activision Blizzard Inc. campus is shown in Irvine, California, U.S., August 6, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(Reuters) - Activision Blizzard Inc raised its full-year forecast for adjusted sales on Tuesday, as the pandemic-driven surge in demand for its videogames including "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush" helped quarterly revenue exceed estimates.

The gaming industry has reaped the benefits of lockdowns keeping people indoors, with research firm NPD estimating that U.S. consumer spending on video games surged 30% to $14.92 billion in the first quarter.