Mixed results for publisher’s Q2
Beleaguered publisher Activision Blizzard releasedits financial resultsfor the second quarter of 2022, presenting a mixed bag of successes and losses for some of the biggest blockbuster franchises in gaming.
Overall, the most recent quarter did not turn around the company’s recent sliding fortunes, with overall revenue down a huge 28% on the same period last year. Of course, this still equates to total revenue of around $1.64 billion USD for the quarter, so it’s hardly doomsday for the industry giant. Perhaps more concerning to the studio are the numbers pertaining to its monthly active users, which is down 12% on 2021, equating to a loss of around 361 million players across the publisher’s various online games.
Activision revenue is down 38% on 2021, which translates to a total of $490 million. In addition, theCall of Dutyfranchise has lost just over a quarter of its entire player base. The lobbies are hardlyempty, of course, as the shooter series still retains around 96 million users. While engagement withCall of Duty Mobileremains steady, 2021’sCall of Duty Vanguardand battle royale titleCall of Duty Warzonehave both struggled to grow their respective communities, especially when compared to previous entries in the billion-dollar franchise.
Over at Blizzard Entertainment, revenue is down around 7% year-on-year, struggling to match the success of 2021’sWorld of WarcraftremasterBurning Crusade Classic.More positive news for the accountants comes from controversial free-to-play mobile titleDiablo Immortal, which has seen its player base grow by 23% on the previous quarter, for a total of 27 million active users. The growth comes despite much eyebrow-raising over the title’saggressive use of paywalls and microtransactions.
Activision Blizzard waspurchased by Microsoftin January of this year for a staggering $68.7 billion. While the past year has been a slump for the publisher, it is very likely that Activision Blizzard will be looking for a turn of fortunes under the umbrella of one of the biggest corporations on the planet. It goes far beyond the bottom line, however, as Activision Blizzard remains under the microscope of its contemporaries, its community, and the State of California following an investigation into thetoxic, sexist, and harassing behaviorsrecorded within its walls.
you’re able to read an abridged timeline of the Activision Blizzard controversyright here.
