What comes around turns around. This is definitely true for the current sales record of Activision, the minds behind the video games Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Destiny and Skylanders Trap Team. After finishing as the top video game publisher of the year 2014, Activision is calling out to fans and admitted that things are turning slow and unlikely for the video game makers this year.
According to USA Today, shares of Activision went downhill and fell 7% in after-hours trading last Thursday after the company reported their fourth-quarter revenue falling way shorter that what they have expected. Figures fell below the analysts' estimates of $2.24 billion and the company's fourth quarter 2013 revenue of $2.27 billion, wherein for December 2014, revenues only hit the $2.21 billion mark. Shares are now available at $20.25 in after-hours trading. The net income for the year also fell 17% from $1.01 billion to $835 million this 2014.
Sales may have plummeted in a negative way but the 'Call of Duty' franchise revenues still surpassed the $11 billion mark globally credited due to the sales of COD: Advanced Warfare. This video game also became the No. 1 game in North America for the sixth time starting last 2009.
Activision said its better than what they have expected and the results were brought by the strong digital sales of World of Warcraft, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and Hearthstone as well as on Call of Duty. In the North America and Europe combined, the COD: Ghosts remains as the top seller.
Activision also sees the downhill as a result of the faces and challenges posed by the competitors in the industry and changes in gamer's preferences. Consumers of the game are more into low-ticket mobile games played on smartphones and tablets. But Activision is feeling positive that with the release of the next-generation game consoles, the market and industry would transform once more.
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