Vivendi earnings up 91.9 percent

World of Warcraft expansion pack leads games division to continued success; popular online role-playing game now has more than 9 million active subscribers.

Vivendi has reported its first half of 2007 financials--with earnings figures up on last year, and the games division's profits soaring once again. Earnings before income and taxes for the whole group were up 10.6 percent to 2.6 billion euros (approx $3.5 billion) compared to the same period last year, net income increased by 10.7 percent to 1.5 billion euros ($2.1 billion), and revenues were up 6.4 percent to 10.2 billion euros ($13.9 billion).

Divisions which enjoyed particularly strong increases were Maroc Telecom, the Canal+ Group, and Vivendi Games. The games division's adjusted earnings before interest and taxes totalled 119 million euros ($162 million), a 91.9 percent increase over the first half of 2006 figures. This increase was mainly attributed to the launch of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft expansion pack The Burning Crusade on January 16. World of Warcraft now has a confirmed subscriber base of more than 9 million across the globe. Vivendi listed two other minor reasons for the earnings leap: a one-off increase from the company's profit-sharing and talent retention plan, and seasonal effects of Sierra Entertainment product releases.

The company confirmed it was on track for its full-year 2007 estimate of adjusted net income surpassing 2.7 billion euros ($3.7 billion).

55 Comments

  • clawboy

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 5:04 pm PT

    Like i said when Gamestop first reported there profits 7 folded. If I were selling millions of games for $50 to $60 a piece my profits and earning would increase to.

  • Shinedown220

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 3:35 pm PT

    Can't wait til we get a portion of this!

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 1:45 pm PT

    so now they're on track

  • osleyee

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 3:40 am PT

    we have to wait and see if blizzard 9 million subscribers still going to play
    wow when the other mmorpg arrive its going to be really interested to see
    who s going to be the king of mmorpg gre i think besides wow that has 9 million subscribers i am thinking that tabula rasa as a change to be as good as wow think about it s all 6 mmorpg that are going to come conpare them and see if they have big different to each other lets wait and is whos going to be the next king of mmorpg.

  • dev_ron

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 12:08 am PT

    I don’t know whether this was expected to them or not, but now as they have made this much of money, they can do something in return for the subscription part. Cos it’s indeed a bit high and who knows they can even make more out of it.

  • Merl57

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 12:02 am PT

    I know this has been said but Arena net cares about its players and supports Guild Wars very well while Blizzard and the following companies just want to milk people's money

  • ppau08223

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:12 pm PT

    yes it is about time they madeit more like guild wars.

  • OnlyTbone

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 9:04 pm PT

    I wish there wasnt a montly fee like guild wars

  • osxgp

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:54 pm PT

    I wouldn't mind having some of that in the bank?

  • danxxx

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:48 pm PT

    chaaa-chiiinggg

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:19 pm PT

    Well that is to be expected with the most successful MMO ever.

  • CaptainCrazy

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:13 pm PT

    "I have idea, if they r making so much why dont they lower the monthly subscription rates?!"

    Have you ever heard of crack dealers lowering their prices when addicts get hooked?

  • jaredcrazy3232

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:09 pm PT

    lol -insert FPS players opinions here- now that is unrelated

  • TheRooskie

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:03 pm PT

    Blizzard is a VICTIM??!?! They are charging a subscription of over $12.00 a month! Plz, don't give me that server maintenance thing either. If I'm paying that much to play a game then I should be personally allowed to call Mike Morhaime up and tell him what a flaming s*** h*** he is.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 4:38 pm PT

    WOW what a shot up, but god I hate WoW so much

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 4:22 pm PT

    I should have invested.

  • cryingfoot

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:54 pm PT

    StonyShred420 !
    YOU SHOULD READ WHAT I SAY.
    Manhunt should be available to all ,without any change at all.
    I have played all MMO (close to ) and mmo is to good and well to long.
    MMO should be (65 years old +). It's not that hard create a MMO. Long terrain, hard monsters, mix with super slow story or any at all except quest.
    Anyway who are u to erase a opinion like mine. i'm not a fanatic religion or something like it.
    i have a opinion base on 20 years of active gaming and many friends who waste a part of their life in everquest and now telling that after couple of years. I will be happy to compare our life and exchange about our life as a gamers. It's not the place for that and my opinion is to long to express.
    But i really wonder if u have friends working at blizzard ?
    U know MMO is going to stay and become better and better. But the gaming industry suffer from it. Not vevendi for sure $$$$$.

  • rpgsuperfan

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:51 pm PT

    Wish people would read this and realize it isn't Blizz they should be complaining about when WoW sucks. Blizz is the victim here.

  • j3v1zzle

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:46 pm PT

    Good for VU..they're a good company but I hate WoW.

  • jaredcrazy3232

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:41 pm PT

    man im glad i dont play WoW.... CSS only lol...

  • stefip

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:18 pm PT

    Nice... Now why did I waste 2 minutes of my life to read this...hmm..

  • ilikegodalot

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:03 pm PT

    those WoW monthly fees are really doin em good.

  • chaznoodles

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 1:58 pm PT

    I have idea, if they r making so much why dont they lower the monthly subscription rates?!

  • rdo

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 1:19 pm PT

    nothing but good things for them since they got rid of gabe newell.

  • BloodMist

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 12:48 pm PT

    Good for them, they're one of the really good publishers still left.

  • link631

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:43 am PT

    91.9 good for them does it matter for us

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:35 am PT

    It's good to see Vivendi doing so well without resorting to minigames. WoW is an MMO that combines accessibility, common sense design and an enthralling world, and that Blizzard was allowed to make it instead of being forced to do another graphical orgy that 90% of computers wouldn't be able to play speaks well of Vivendi. Then there's huge hits like FEAR. Vivendi's doing it the right way. Other companies would do well to take notice.

  • goku8565

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:30 am PT

    Wrath of the Lich king isn't really getting a graphical overhaul, they said they are just using new shaders and such in Northrend to emphasize frost and winter things that are probably environmental.

  • HK-47-M4

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:29 am PT

    Good for them.

  • NeoNavarro

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:22 am PT

    I really doubt that the WoW will get a graphic over haul. But, I guess you never know.

  • therejectx

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 11:08 am PT

    i would love to see diablo 3 be awesome, but otherwise im not too into mmo

  • StonyShred420

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 10:13 am PT

    cryingfoot, You know what, no one cares. The fact your saying a video game should be illegal is plain and simeply wrong. People are entitled to play what they want and when they want. people like you, should just sit back and not play the game if you don't like it. The fact you are saying Manhunt and MMORPGs should be illegal, is you supporting something called censorship, and its simply unconstitutional. See in America, some of us still believe in having you freedoms, even if the Bush Administration continues to infringe upon those freedoms, some still beleive in Democracy.

  • cryingfoot posted Sep 3, 2007 9:54 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    cryingfoot

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 9:54 am PT (hide)

    i hate MMO cause there's billion of persons who waste their life.
    And it's billion of persons who play no more GOOD games.
    It's money gone for great games.
    In my opinion MMO should be illegal on the planet not Manhunt 2.

  • webby1

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 9:36 am PT

    I hope Diablo 3 isnt an MMO but there is going to be more expansions for WoW and a Starcraft MMO is always a possibilty

  • ie_specter

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 9:30 am PT

    @infect999: They actually said they are planning to make Wrath of the Lich King (The next WoW expansion) have visibly better graphics than the last 2. But, I do see your point and I actually agree with what your saying. I think if they were doing it for WotLK, they wouldn't hire new people, they would have the same artists just use better tools and push it a little further than they did before. I used to think those opening's were going to be for World of Starcraft/Starcraft Universe.. The speculated StarCraft MMO.. But with StarCraft 2 announced, I would be real surprised to see two StarCraft games coming out before a single Diablo game. After Diablo 3 (Or MMO) is finally released, they need to work on Warcraft 4 damn it. I'm so sick of MMO's at this point. They are just a way of the dev's telling you they are really lazy and want you to pay them 15$ a month to do the same thing over and over. I want a REAL story, I want a REAL cinematic experience, I want a REAL game, that I only need to pay for once.

  • infect999

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:55 am PT

    @Yuck_Too: actually, i've got a hypothesis that Diablo 3 is in fact going to be an MMORPG. Evidence? Blizz has two interesting new job openings: Lead 3D Model designer for a Next-Gen MMO, and Lead 3D environment designer for a Next-Gen MMO.

    i doubt they're just improving WoW's graphics.

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:50 am PT

    Ever since Vivendi bought Blizzard for $1 Billon it's been all about the money, and how they can make the most...and that at this point means it's all about WoW.

    Why they never ported Diablo 2 to the console and ignored the others for so long is simply because WoW makes so much more money for so much less effort at this point.

    Personally though I don't care...far to many other great titles out on other platforms to waste all that time in WoW. I guess StarCraft is coming at some point...and maybe someone will finally make D3 but really I'll beleive it when they ship it.

  • infect999

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:46 am PT

    hopefully blizz will invest some of that money into something useful, like chasing all the 12-year-old boys out of the barrens.....

  • erezbaron

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:42 am PT

    there are two thing that blizzard need to do warcraft 4 and diablo 3 the mmo stuff is just too generic and hasnt got a real story,a good story means a good game....

  • PredatorPR

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:28 am PT

    Thanks to Blizzard. Hope Vivendi guys give full support to them, and not just for mmo games. I'm waiting for my copy of Starcraft 2 and I have high expectations from it. Go Blizzard the best PC game company.

  • DarkIceman2003

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:17 am PT

    Now that's alot of cash. Hope they utiliize some of that dough for something cool.

  • piinshot posted Sep 3, 2007 6:25 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    piinshot

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 6:25 am PT (hide)

    With all this money they are making i am at least hoping for a decent attempt at a starcraft mmo (Starcraft Universe?or maybe Worlds Of Starcraft for possible titles?)WE ARE ALL GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF THE FANTASY STUFF...and Tabula Rasa is a waste of time!

  • raze-boi

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 6:22 am PT

    That's a lot, man!!!! Congratulations Vivendi!

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 6:18 am PT

    0.0 impressive. Seems like a good year for a couple companies, although some (like Take-Two) are having some problems. Good luck to all.

  • bhaskarchatta

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:48 am PT

    Hmmm........ That's coooool

  • darthzew

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:45 am PT

    that's almost double... wow.

  • Neosword

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:43 am PT

    Cool.

  • Pastehunter

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:25 am PT

    I allways liked Vivendi , even though he destroyed the Crash and Spyro series . They are the few whom can make decent movie-based games

  • lord-of-gamers

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:20 am PT

    thats pretty cool but:
    10.6 percent to 2.6 billion euros (approx $3.5 million) doesnt sound right - 2.6billion to 3.5million???

    Gamespot - u might wanna edit that bit lol its a bit more hehe

  • Kh1ndjal

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 4:49 am PT

    91.9% is a lot

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