Activision Blizzard sales fall on weak Call Of Duty release

Last fall’s Call Of Duty Vanguard, which Activision said hasn’t performed as well as anticipated, has had a ripple effect on the company’s fiscal year. — Activision

Activision Blizzard Inc, the biggest US video game publisher, reported revenue that beat analysts’ estimates, but adjusted sales declined 15% from a year ago due to a soft Call Of Duty launch last fall and a slow year for the gaming industry overall.

Activision, which is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft Corp, brought in adjusted revenue in the second quarter of US$1.64bil (RM7.1bil), compared with the average analyst’s projection for US$1.6bil (RM7.3bil). Adjusted revenue excludes deferred sales from online purchases. Adjusted earnings per share were 47 cents, almost 50% lower than a year earlier and slightly below analysts’ estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.