Activision encores earnings revision

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Dec 19, 2007 3:39 pm PT

Publisher again revises third-quarter and full-year fiscal projections upward on the success of best-selling franchises Guitar Hero and Call of Duty.

Though only on the market for a few days, Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock filled in four of the top 10 sales slots for October, according to industry-tracking NPD Group. With Guitar Hero III continuing to rock on at a frantic pace, the publisher scored the top sales slot in November as well with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The exceptional success of the two franchises has already led the publisher to revise its third-quarter and full fiscal-year forecasts upward once at the end of November. Today, the publisher has done so again.

Activision now expects to haul in $1.35 billion for its fiscal third quarter, which ends December 31. Previously, the publisher was expecting to bring in $1.22 billion, a figure that was itself revised from initial projections of $1.1 billion. Likewise, the publisher now projects full fiscal year 2008 revenues, which ends March 31, to hit $2.45 billion, up from $2.30 billion after its original revision and initial projection of $2.1 billion.

"Activision is the No. 1 US console and handheld publisher, according to the recently announced results from The NPD Group, for calendar 2007 through November," said Activision chairman and CEO Robert Kotick. "The company increased its market share for the 11-month period to a record 16.8 percent, a 7.9 percent increase over the same period last year. We continue to see strong audience excitement for our products and as a result we are again raising our financial outlook for the December quarter and the fiscal year."

Earlier this month, French media conglomerate Vivendi announced it would be purchasing a controlling stake in Activision for $18.9 billion. On completion of the deal, the merger will create the world's largest third-party publisher, with hit franchises such as Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Starcraft all under one roof. The new operation will be relabeled Activision Blizzard, with the latter portion of the name derived from Vivendi subsidiary and World of Warcraft purveyors Blizzard Entertainment.

43 Comments

  • minhas32

    Posted Jan 4, 2008 1:51 am PT

    COD rocks

  • pourya_ahmadian

    Posted Dec 27, 2007 9:33 am PT

    go guys,go;

  • GtheMVP

    Posted Dec 25, 2007 10:17 am PT

    With Call of Duty 5 coming soon, it will be another great year for them, and me, WW2 FTW!

  • CoRiNi

    Posted Dec 23, 2007 6:43 pm PT

    Whatever,, as long as games like COD come out.

  • ReU_GanJa

    Posted Dec 22, 2007 4:48 pm PT

    Also remember Activision is the publisher not the developer, well maybe for some games they develop but it doesn't mean they'll end up like EA. Aslong as they stick with InfinityWard the next COD games will be good and hopefully whatever titles come out.

  • AMDZEN

    Posted Dec 22, 2007 1:50 am PT

    How about that Les Paul PS3 patch... oh wait... what a silly notion. Pardon me while I go hit my head on a rock until I pass out. Sounds like more fun then hearing about Activision's rise to dominance so they can degrade the quality of their games and increase their overall profits. It happened with EA, it will happen with Activision. Vivendi was dead to me a long time ago.

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Dec 21, 2007 2:36 pm PT

    wow, thats interesting, sound good

  • MoDollars

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 6:10 pm PT

    the results i have read are very impressive judging by the increase percent, Activision i think and being objective has proven itself a well developed publisher with games such a COD4 that has given them a boost in sales. Implications towrads the future look pretty good i suppose with Activision and Blizzard. Though i am worried to see other companys degrade due to this as a possibility.

  • FireNForget

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 2:19 pm PT

    Holy smoke, 18.9 Beeellion dollars? By the time they recoup that investment we'll all be playing COD20

  • dmish82

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 1:48 pm PT

    Too bad Activision wants to be greedy and rather than put the consumer first, screw over PS3 owners. I could understand their side if the guitar didn't work w/ the 360 either but it does. Thanks Activision!

  • Canitbe posted Dec 20, 2007 12:29 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Canitbe

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 12:29 pm PT (hide)

    :
    Incognito I love how everyone blames Activision for the GH3 PS3 controller patch problem. First of all you made the mistake of buying a PS3. Regardless of your ill informed decision, you then made another mistake by blaming Activision alone because Harmonix is also at fault. If they can't come to a compromise, its not just one side's fault.


    I couldnt have said it better myself, well done.

  • gord_mose

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 11:00 am PT

    Glad to see someone give EA a run for their money. Activision is another company, like EA, that has been around forever but unlike EA, they seem to give a crap about gamers and tend to produce better games.

  • akiwak

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 10:43 am PT

    Can we now See Starcraft: GHOST please?!??!!?!?!?!?

  • alzdaman

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 10:24 am PT

    Only reason Guitar Hero III sold so well: The name

  • Incognito

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 9:04 am PT

    I love how everyone blames Activision for the GH3 PS3 controller patch problem. First of all you made the mistake of buying a PS3. Regardless of your ill informed decision, you then made another mistake by blaming Activision alone because Harmonix is also at fault. If they can't come to a compromise, its not just one side's fault.

  • BontraXenderKyl posted Dec 20, 2007 7:45 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    BontraXenderKyl

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 7:45 am PT (hide)

    now Activiosion is the biggest games company and after her EA in the second place.....but where Ubisoft????!?!??!?!?!?!?!

  • 4themob1

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 7:08 am PT

    there seems to be a wide misunderstanding about this whole thing. activision did not acquire vivende. its quit the opposite. vivende bought controlling interest in activision. so congrats to vivende/blizzard

  • ColdGen

    Posted Dec 20, 2007 3:39 am PT

    Activision/Vivendi - please don't **** up Blizzard or Infinity Ward - Harmonix can go jump.

  • lmfordjr

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 11:19 pm PT

    This could be bad or good. Good in the sense that resources can be pooled and changed easily & quickly to projects that are taking off. Also, it could lead to larger sums of cash being devoted to these projects, which would allow for a better game. But it also could hamper the creativness of the people involved in those particular projects, e.g. starcraft, warcraft, diablo. Hopefully it won't & hopefully it will help add to these projects.

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