Posts Tagged ‘activision’

Call of Duty: Black Ops shatters all records – tops $650M in five days

Friday, November 19th, 2010

It’s official; Call of Duty: Black Ops has surpassed all sales records and now set the benchmark in what it means to have a successful product launch. Announced by publisher Activision Publishing Inc., Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops has smashed theatrical box office, book, and video game sales records over a five-day period. In total, Call of Duty: Black Ops has brought home more than $650 million, surpassing Activision’s previous five-day record figures of $550 million set by last year’s launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

“Call of Duty has become the first entertainment property in history to set five-day launch records for two consecutive years across all forms of entertainment,” said Robert Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. “The title’s success illustrates the mass appeal of interactive entertainment as millions of consumers are choosing to play Call of Duty: Black Ops at unprecedented levels rather than engage in other forms of media. The number of people playing online and the number of hours they are playing demonstrates how online gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and certainly validates Activision Blizzard’s leadership role in online entertainment.”

And if bring home over than half a billion dollars in revenues of the course of a work week wasn’t enough, Treyarch’s newest iteration of the Call of Duty franchise has set two new records on the Xbox Live platform. By the end of opening (launch) day (November 9th), according to Microsoft, just under 6 million (5.9) multiplayer hours had been logged. Additionally, over 2.6 million unique gamers played Call of Duty: Black Ops on November 9th.

“With a record breaking performance on Xbox LIVE, home to the world’s largest Call of Duty gaming community, Call of Duty: Black Ops has already carved out its legacy as one of the biggest video games in history,” said Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft. “We congratulate our partners at Activision and Treyarch and are proud to continue offering the best Call of Duty experience to our 25 million global Xbox LIVE members by launching all Call of Duty map packs first on Xbox 360.”

And it’s not just Xbox that’s seeing some massive numbers. “Call of Duty: Black Ops has been an incredible success on PlayStation 3,” said Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA). “Treyarch’s latest efforts are driving unprecedented traffic to the PlayStation Network with the flagship online experience this holiday season.”

What’s also important to keep in mind here is that these are just opening day and week figures. Activision has wisely launched the title a with just enough time to cash in on the pre-holiday season market, yet close enough to make it a top choice on any gamers wishlist that didn’t purchase and play the game on opening day. “Call of Duty: Black Ops had the highest number of pre-orders of any video game to date,” said Paul Raines, CEO, GameStop. “It went on to become our biggest video game launch ever, which bodes well for game sales as we enter the holidays.”

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Joss Stone to appear in upcoming Bond title

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Bond Girls. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’ve become a part of the cultural landscape. Whether it’s Dr. No’s Honey Rider, as portrayed by the legendary Ursula Andress, or the most recent Quantum of Solace Bond Girl, Strawberry Fields, as played ny Gemma Arterton, each one of these ladies has a unique piece of Bond history all her own. The next femme fatal to grace the Bond franchise will be none other than Grammy and BRIT award winning singer Joss Stone.

1603d1255229711-joss-stone-colour-me-free-album-jossstoneWhile Activision’s James Bond 007: Blood Stone isn’t slated for a silver screen release, the production quality behind it is arguably just as good, if not better. Penned by legendary screen writer Bruce Feirstein, the Bond title will not only feature Ms. Stone’s voice and digital likeness, but she’ll also be contributing original music for the game. The first track has already been titled, “I’ll Take It All,” and was written and performed by Stone and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. And as with all things Bond, Activision is serving up a healthy plate of land and sea action, utilizing Mr. Bond’s exclusive line of crime fighting gizmo’s and gadgets.

“James Bond 007: Blood Stone captures the cinematic intensity of a Bond film by immersing players in an intriguing conspiracy that will require them to think and act like James Bond,” said David Pokress, Head of Marketing for Licensed Properties, Activision Publishing. “In addition, the game will feature a diverse array of multi-player modes and debut strategic objective-based gameplay that will allow Xbox 360, PS3™ and PC players to battle as teams of spies and mercenaries through authentic Bond locales.”

In addition to Ms. Stone’s voice and likeness, James Bond 007: Blood Stone will also include the same from Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench, cast members from the most recent Bond films. Players can do battle across a range of disciplines including cover-based firefights, hand to hand combat duels, and the gratuitous high speed driving challenges. And not just dedicated to Mr. Bond, players can take on the coveted role of double O agent, and engage in a 16 person multiplayer mode that focuses on teamwork, skill, and strategy.

More information about the upcoming Activision James Bond 007: Blood Stone can be found at www.007.com.

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Activision Publishing names Eric Hirshberg CEO

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Starting September 7th, 2010, Activision Publishing will see marketing and advertising industry vet Eric Hirshberg take the reins as CEO. In his new position, Hirschberg will oversee operational management including Activision Publishing’s studio, product development functions and consumer marketing activities.

18235Prior to being tapped for the Activision Publishing position, Hirshberg was Chief Executive Officer at Deutsch LA, one of the industries’ leading marketing and advertising firms. With the company for 13 years, Hirshberg was a driving force behind building Deutsch LA into one of the most respected and high profile creative firms in the U.S., with a particular focus on multimedia creative campaigns.

“Eric’s experience helping to develop strategies for his clients like Sony’s PlayStation, Direct TV and HTC have given him unique exposure to video games, subscription-based entertainment and the delivery of mobile content. I have known him for a long time and Eric is one of those rare multi-talented people who managed to build a billion dollar business from the ground up in a difficult, competitive industry using his creative skills, passion for excellence, discipline and focus,” explains Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick. “He is one of the most inspiring people I know and I am excited that his energy, determination, and keen understanding of popular culture will be added to our extraordinarily talented team.”

Not only has Kirshberg been recognized for his industry expertise, he’s been awarded as well. Inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement in 2007, Hirshberg has also been named the Western States Advertising Agencies Association Leader of the Year in 2002 and 2006. He has significant experience in a wide range of campaigns, most relevant, his work with Sony on their PlayStation 3 campaign.

“I feel like everything I’ve done in my entire career has been preparing me for this,” says Hirshberg. “This is a chance to take everything I know how to do, from leading creative people, to developing a great creative product, to building a culture of ideas, and apply them to something I’ve been passionate about my entire life. Activision has a portfolio of properties, and track record of innovation that are second to none. To be able to help write the next chapter is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 map pack shatters Xbox LIVE record

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Slightly under a month from it’s initial reveal, and only into it’s first week of sale, Infinity Ward’s Stimulus Package DLC map pack has sold over 2.5 million copies. This data has been released by Microsoft, and confirms that this DLC has shattered Xbox LIVE records, as more than 1 million gamers around the world downloaded the new map pack within the first 24 hours of it’s release.

Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2DLC moving over 1 million units in 24 hours? Ok, not unconceivable. However, here’s the rub: the Stimulus Package is downloadable content. Most downloadable content usually falls in the ‘microtransaction’ range (with a heavy influence on micro). The “new” map pack costs $15. Looking around at various retail sources, on average, this $15 expansion pack (or 1200 Microsoft Points) costs one quarter of the game’s price. Not exactly a “micro” transaction. Especially considering that only 3 of the 5 maps that are included are new, with 2 being “slightly reworked” maps from Call of Duty 4.

Putting the world of FPS in perspective, DICE’s Battlefield 1943, which the company makes no qualms about pitting head-to-head with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, is also selling a map pack for the same price, $15. DICE’s content pack broke records last month when it became the fastest game to reach 1 million units sold on Xbox Live since its July 2009 release. Obviously the two companies are now locked into a ‘one up’ing of each other, which should ultimately benefit the consumer. However, when looking at expansion packs, and granted these are bundled map packs, is the price point of a quarter of the original games’ price too much for gamers? Obviously not.

In a free market economy, the consumer will ultimately decide what is too pricey, and what is not (in pure theory, at least). If players are so hungry for additional content, does this inhibit or promote further game development? It’s a tricky rope to walk for devs, as they want to keep players interested in the current title, expansion packs, while at the same time working on the new version of the game, or even creating something completely new.

To this end, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is also available on PC and the PS3, the title has seen much higher sales on the Xbox 360 platform, and Activision confirms that the Microsoft console has the largest player base. Thus, the new content was produced for the Xbox 360 first, but Infinity Ward is preparing PC and PS3 versions for a later this spring launch.

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South Korean gaming market grew 20 percent in 2008

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

kimjongilKorea: An isolated nation suffering from an oppressive government and dictator, virtually cut off from the rest of the world (and the 21st century). Oh no no no. Sorry. That’s NORTH Korea. Although this picture may be shockingly correct, perhaps in not as many words, North Korean’s cousins to the South couldn’t get any closer to the opposite side of the spectrum.

South Korea is one of the most wired countries in the world, with 80 percent of the South Korean population owning a PC. Based on rough population estimates, that puts a computer in the hands of 38 million South Koreans. Given the relatively small land mass that South Korea covers, including extremely densely populated areas such as Seoul, as well as being (more or less) the birthplace of the free-to-play business model, it’s easy to see why and how gaming has integrated itself so rapidly in the everyday culture. Don’t forget, this is the country that has professional Starcraft leagues that often receive national television coverage.

According to Pearl Research, the South Korean appetite for video game consumption is showing no signs of slowing, as they estimate the online games market in South Korea grew an impressive 20 percent in 2008. The data comes via Pearl’s new study, “Online Games Market in Korea.”

The top five game operators in South Korea in 2008 were:

  • NHN – a 51 percent revenue increase YOY
  • Nexon
  • NCSoft – a 5 percent YOY revenues gain
  • Neowiz – up 29 percent with revenue gains YOY
  • CJ Internet – a 21 percent YOY gain in revenues

The Top online games in the South Korean market include:

  • Activision/Blizzard – World of Warcraft
  • NCSoft – Aion and Lineage series
  • CJ Internet – Sudden Attack (free-to-play)
  • EA – FIFA Online 2 (free-to-play)
  • Nexon – Dungeon Fighter (free-to-play)

Naturally, the vast majority of games available to South Koreans come in the free-to-play format, and according to the Pearl Research study, the global economic downturn has had little to no effect on microtransactions purchases. Pearl points to the low cost of these individual items as a potential reason.

The report also goes on to conclude that while these numbers are exciting, and a good indicator of the current state of affairs, not all is rosy in the South Korean gaming market. They point to intense domestic competition, a government crackdown on web board games, and increasing development costs is important challenges to be met.  However, the study also cites lack of capital for smaller publishers even though the South Korean government is pumping money into the industry.  I guess these small(er) publishers are flying below the government investment radar?

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Nexon America strikes deal with Integri

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Free-to-play pioneer Nexon announced yesterday that they’ve struck an exclusive advertising deal with Integri, a leading video game and entertainment advertising representation company.  This is a first for Nexon, as up until now all advertising was done in house.  Under the terms of the agreement, Integri will represent and supply advertising opportunities for Nexon’s portfolio of games including MapleStory, Combat Arms, and Mabinogi.  This new partnership also obviously opens the doors for in-game advertising opportunities for Nexon as well.

nexon_logoAccording to the latest comScore reports, Integri offers advertisers and marketers an unparalleled edge in today’s online gaming and digital entertainment industry.  Nexon now finds itself in ‘heavy hitter’ territory as Integri currently has relationships with both Activision Vivendi and Sony Online Entertainment in their client list.  Targeting the coveted male (18 – 24) and female (25-54) consumer base, Integri creates customized, site specific and channel-wide opportunities designed to help each advertiser deploy tailored, integrated advertising campaigns, including banner ads, takeovers and in-game opportunities, across entertainment and specialized gaming categories including massively multiplayer online (MMO) and first person s hooter (FPS) genres.

“Nexon has always been a pioneer and leader in the free-to-play category,” said Jayson Dubin, president of Intergi. “Intergi’s exclusive and proprietary partnerships with a collection of today’s hottest online gaming and entertainment sites, offers one of the best point of entries to connecting with the coveted demographic of males 18-34 years old. Add our reach to Nexon’s market position and the possibilities for reaching gaming enthusiasts are endless.”

Nexon America, who by now should be a household name when it comes to free-to-play titles, has been cranking out hit after hit since arriving in Los Angeles 4 years ago.  Their breakthrough hit, MapleStory is still running strong today, and they’ve recently introduced a new fantasy inspired title named Mabinogi.  Nexon also operates Combat Arms, a fully free-to-play first person shooter that’s been a big hit with fans of the genre.

“Advertising is going to help Nexon America improve our services as a leader in free-to-play gaming,” said Min Kim, vice president of marketing for Nexon America. “Our user base is enthusiastic and growing, which makes us a great opportunity for marketers. And this partnership is going to allow us to improve the entire free-to-play experience for all Nexon gamers.”

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Red Rocket seeks to bring East West

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Add one part GameFly co-founder, one part EA technical art director, three-quarters Shanghai, a dash of Bellevue, WA, ice cubes, and shake with creativity.  Serve into bite sized entertainment over PC’s, Internet, handhelds, and iPhones to create the Red Rocket Games special.

And serve it up they do at Red Rocket.  Jung Suh, Gamefly co-founder and Scott Yu, EA technical art director have set out to merge gaming trends from Asia such as microtransactions and avatar systems with US game design practices.  The company is headquartered in Shanghai, China, with offices in Bellevue, WA.  They’re tackling the project head on, with an ambitious first release date as early as early 2009 via their own portal as well as other casual game distributors and publishers.

Not limited just to just a Chinese and American development crew, Red Rocket features a global pool of talent working from around the world: China, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, France and the US.  Both Suh and Yu agree that their Chinese location has a number of benefits including the ability to outsource non-core project elements to local firms and being able to manage them closely.

“We have an international group of mad scientists here at our Shanghai office, and everyone is tinkering around with the concepts of fun as we develop our first game,” says Suh.

“It’s a great benefit to be here in China and be able to take advantage of the talent and excitement around online gaming, while at the same time having a management team with years of U.S. game development methodology experience garnered from top video game brand companies.”

Red Rocket’s now CEO, Jung Suh formerly served as GameFly’s VP of Content, while Yu takes on the role of Executive Producer.  Together the team has more that 15 years experience with companies including EA, Pogo.com, Sega, Activision, and Disney Online.

Their goal is ambitious: Bring the East – West.  Sadly with a reputation of delivering low quality titles coming out of the East, here’s to hoping that Red Rocket can truly get the mix right and break down the barriers of preconception with some truly awe inspiring pixel magic.

Visit Red Rocket Games at www.redrocketgames.com.

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MMOs need to offer more free to play, micro transaction based titles

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

In a recently completed survey by Parks Associates, results clearly indicate that gamers are interested in micro transaction based free to play titles.

The consumer study of 2,000+ US internet gamers found that only ‘power gamers’ have a strong interest in subscription based MMORPG services.  Social, dormant and leisure gamers were found to have significant interest in free to play, microtransaction based models.  With this increased interest, Parks Associates indicates that it would be ‘very difficult’ for a new MMO to enter the market with only a subscription based model at this time.

“World of Warcraft, with over 10 million players, exceeded expectations for subscription-based MMORPGs, but it’s unlikely any other publishers will achieve the same in the near term using a subscription model,” said Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director, Broadband and Gaming, Parks Associates.

The study focused on a number of issues and the results are not entirely predictable, but rather interesting.  14% of gamers NOT currently playing an MMO said that they would be interested in starting up the fun again IF they could play the game for free.  Only 2% of the gamers surveyed would be interested in starting another MMO with the traditional subscription based service and fee.  While this may not be the results that Activision/Vivendi (aka Blizzard and World of Warcraft) want to hear, but it IS good news for publishers such as Frogster (Runes of Magic) and Perfect World Entertainment (Perfect World) that are early adopters of the new model.

The top deterring factor to traditional subscription based MMO’s as tabulated by Parks Associates is the barrier to entry in terms of time and money.  “It’s simply too high for many potential customers,” says Cai. “Free-to-play models offer flexibility, and players can choose how much they want to invest based on interest level and play patterns. Micro transaction models have the best potential to grow the U.S. MMORPG audience.”

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Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli to be released in North America by System 3

Monday, June 9th, 2008

Now here’s one that’s near and dear to my heart. Not that I drive a Ferrari (unless you want to think of VW as a watered down Ferrari?) but for that exact point. Driving sims are about as close as most of us are ever going to get to sitting behind a million dollar super machine.

So, last year, when waves started being made by Koch Media that they’d be distributing a Ferrari based game in Europe, my heart felt a little pitter patter. Not much more news hit the stands for a while until recently.

Activision announced that they’d be distributing the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli via System3 in North America. The Italian Stallions are expected to be on shelves this summer and available for the PS2, PS3, Nintendo DS, and Wii systems.

The game will feature more than 15 international real deal racing circuits, along with multiple game play modes such as Ferrari Challenge Seasons, Time Trials, Endurance, and Quick Sprint.  Up to 16 players can rock out with their stallions out online in a variety of challenges including racing circuits and hill climbs.

Dave Oxford from Activision Publishing said, “For the last sixty years Ferrari has been synonymous with precision, performance and graceful design, so expectations for the game will be high from auto enthusiasts and racing game fans alike. Everyone involved in Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli has been committed to ensuring this product over-delivers on the experience of this legendary brand.”

System 3 CEO Mark Cale commented, “Without a doubt, this is the defining Ferrari experience for video games. It has been a collaboration with professionals on every level and we have justly captured the power, beauty, and excitement that is the Ferrari Challenge Series. This excitement is taken to a whole new level with the partnership of Activision’s power within the North American marketplace.”

To add even more goodness to the already smokin’ hot exhaust pipes, The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli will also feature downloadable content such as cars, tracks, and customization options available on a monthly basis.

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