Activision Q1 revs soar 163 percent

Guitar Hero II and Spider-Man 3 spur nearly a half billion in sales for the publisher; PC Quake Wars reconfirmed for current quarter.

Though it faces stiff competition from Rock Band in the fall, for the moment, the Guitar Hero franchise is a money-minting machine. Massive sales of Guitar Hero II helped propel Activision into the earnings stratosphere during its first fiscal quarter, which saw the company's quarterly income soar 163 percent.

Activision's $495.5 million April-June net revenues bested those of archrival Electronic Arts by more than $100 million, earning it $27.8 million in net income ($0.09 earnings per share). By contrast, the Santa Monica-based publisher took in just $188.1 million during the same period in 2006, posting a net loss of $18.3 million.

Besides Guitar Hero II, which was the top-selling non-handheld and non-PC game for the quarter, Activision's other big titles for the quarter were the multiplatform film tie-ins Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third. Despite middling reviews, the former sold more than 876,000 units on all platforms in the US according to NPD, generating in excess of $38.7 million. The latter game also overcame critical scorn to sell more than 276,000 copies domestically during the quarter, generating a $10.3 million haul.

"During the quarter, we shipped more than 8 million units of new game releases worldwide," Activision chairman and CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. "For the first six months of the calendar year, Activision was the number one third-party US publisher on the console and handheld platforms."

As a result of its banner 2007 performance, Activision is raising its earnings guidance for its full fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2008. The company now believes it will take in $1.87 billion in earnings, up from $1.8 billion. Before the end of the current calendar year, the company will ship Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, and the Bee Movie Game.

For the July-August quarter, the company is forecasting $250 million in revenues for a net loss of $0.04 per share. So far, it has released the film tie-in Transformers: The Game and the expansion Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, to mixed reviews. Much to the delight of shooter fans, the company also reconfirmed today that it plans to release the PC edition of Quake Wars during the July-September quarter. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions of the game are currently slated to arrive later in the year.

In after-hours trading, Activision's stock had risen $0.50 (2.73 percent) from its closing price to $18.80 per share.

54 Comments

  • packernation31

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 10:42 pm GMT

    Activision rocks!

  • Turisman4

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:26 pm GMT

    Wow, now that's a profit margin. There's probably going to be a big corporate party this week, too.

  • maxmax1234

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:16 am GMT

    call of juaris is way better then gun.

  • Treifla

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 11:23 am GMT

    CoD 3 was by far the best, the only game that even bothered to meantion that the canadian forces and the french resistance even contributed to the war (even though the candians were the best pilots, strongest shock troops and were the only forces to complete all of their objectives on D-day ;-) ) behind number three was finest hour, just for the multiplayer alone.

  • JehovaWrinkles

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 10:33 am GMT

    It's time like these people, where you really wish that you could somehow just win the lottery.

  • maxmax1234

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 9:12 am GMT

    wow, yea, this definetly whas there best year, there where some asome games from them.

  • polsci1503

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 1:08 pm GMT

    GH3 and CoD4 will do very well. The new Tony Hawk game will sell too. What does Activision have slated after that?

  • StanBlocker

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 3:01 pm GMT

    I an didn't contribute to any of it. I like Activision but nothing tickled my fancy. Not even GH2

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:55 pm GMT

    For the most part, I love the Call of Duty series, except I hated the CoD3. Well, I'm glad they moved the series in another direction.

  • bobbarkerfan1

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 12:14 pm GMT

    Activision is awesome!!!! EA is only good at making sports games, they should stop making all other games. The Medal of Honor series is making them look bad, those games are terrible. Go Call of Duty! I still wish that they made a call of duty game that takes place in the pacific theater.

  • zapper188

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:08 am GMT

    Wow, Call of Duty 4
    Wait until they release that, then the biggest, fattest, hugest paycheck ever will be right through the door for Activision.
    Plus GH111
    Hell, They're going to be earning more then EA soon and bigger too.

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:26 am GMT

    So, this explains the EA aquisition of Rock Band. If someone is making money then EA is sure to steal it.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:00 am GMT

    Thats cool! They are now a BIG competition for EA

  • 1PSman

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:38 am GMT

    CALL OF DUTY $ is going to be so awsome it was E3 2007 best show by g4 nuff said

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:17 am GMT

    Maybe with all of this money, they can lower the price on downloadable tracks?

  • okassar

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:13 am GMT

    Yep,it's Guitar Hero 2....Red Octane shoulda' kept it,cash money!

  • jorranvv

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:42 am GMT

    thats a lot of money!(all because guitar hero)

  • SidV101

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 7:28 am GMT

    if theyre revenue raised 163% with just GH2, shrek, and spiderman, imagine what's gonna happen when they also have Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero 3, and Tony Hawk Proving Grounds out.

  • unbreakable4534

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 6:25 am GMT

    They need to make a NEW Gun game!!!

  • pete_merlin

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 4:21 am GMT

    jumping? hmmmm no theres loads of other great games coming out this year. although gta4 was the game i wanted most and i have had it preordered since may2006 after it was announced from play.com but i can wait some more

  • Delongman

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 11:52 pm GMT

    COD 4!!! I'm certain they'll make big cash there!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 11:52 pm GMT

    Activision lives!

  • MichaeltheCM

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 11:30 pm GMT

    163 percent!?!?! holy crap!

  • Striker_Zero

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 11:19 pm GMT

    GO ACTIVISION - you deserve it

  • ketsuatama

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 9:44 pm GMT

    Good sales of S3 and Shrek shows the power of hype in driving consumer decisions. On the other hand, maybe a lot of people want to play relatively "good clean fun" type of games!

  • Nexeus

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 9:13 pm GMT

    Spider-man 3 sucked....

    but hey nicley done activison, why not use some of that money to MAKE ANOTHER ULTIMATE ALLIANCE!!!! and another ultimate destruction

  • elite_ferns1

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 8:55 pm GMT

    spider man is so overrated

  • azizrulez

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 8:49 pm GMT

    someone sure has picked up their game after disappointing last year,
    although i still cant digest why so many people bought a crappy game like Spider-Man 3

  • DJSMITH007

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 8:00 pm GMT

    Activision has some really good games coming out in Q4 such as Quake Wars.

  • ToxicMold

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 7:10 pm GMT

    Pretty soon everyone will start hating Activision just like they did Electronic Arts.

  • lilmp89

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:53 pm GMT

    WOW

    Great news for them. Not surprising with all the GH games.

  • bradly_2795

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm GMT

    If Activision keeps this up I think they will overtake EA as the best publisher in the US. EA's games aren't as good as they once were. Activision has created a new powerful market with the GH franchise. Good job Activision. Keep it up and learn from EA's mistakes

  • Sacred-Snow

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 5:48 pm GMT

    Good job activision... just try to make the next guitar hero encore a little more meaty for the money...

  • Makhdoom82

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 5:34 pm GMT

    This all shows that you don't need mass production of titles but few well placed and solid titles can make all the difference !!! Way to go Activision !!!

  • Gruug

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 5:10 pm GMT

    As far as I can see Activision is becoming what EA once was....a power house gaming supplier. Now, if they can maintain a tight reign on those that would cut things like QA to improve bottom line they should continue to do well. Hopefully, they will learn from EA's mistakes.

  • HK-47-M4

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 4:48 pm GMT

    Good job Activision!

  • Pete5506

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 4:41 pm GMT

    wow nice job

  • shortster1

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 4:31 pm GMT

    for rockband 200$ is a pretty good deal because look at guitar hero it's a 100$ and it comes with one guitar and rockband comes with everything imperial agent? still a bad deal?

  • imperial_agent

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 4:24 pm GMT

    Rockband = $200.

    Forget that!

  • Agreb91

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 4:02 pm GMT

    Activision did more in June than EA, wow.

  • nilemonitor posted Aug 2, 2007 3:14 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    nilemonitor

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 3:14 pm GMT (hide)

    Quake Wars in Q3? I’ll believe that when I see it.
    Guitar Hero sux especially for real guitar players. It feels like a Fisher Price toy.

  • yian

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 3:12 pm GMT

    You mean when they came out with Dark Reign 2? Yeah, it was a rough time.

  • RiseFM

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 3:09 pm GMT

    anyone remember when activision sucked?

  • Zuul13

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 3:03 pm GMT

    Rock band is going to smother Guitar Hero III

  • lancezmfa

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 2:57 pm GMT

    Guitar Hero III vs. Rockband should prove to be interesting, I wonder who will come on top for sales?

  • yian

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 2:57 pm GMT

    Good games = happy gamers. Good news for both ends.

  • brokengammer

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 2:55 pm GMT

    all right activision! you guys are badass with a heart of gold your games are awesome!!

  • abdito

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 2:35 pm GMT

    activision make good games good games more mony

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 2:34 pm GMT

    Activision has a well rounded strategy. They make crap movie-go-games that people will buy like Transformers, Spider-Man 3, and Shrek the Third. They make trendy franchise games like Guitar Hero. Then they make awesome games for the hardcore gamer. And they port these games to multiple systems. Very smart.

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