No calls for Call of Duty
Activision Blizzard’s firstquarter sales and profit plunged as demand for its Call of Duty video-game franchise fell.
The video-game company, which in January agreed to be purchased by Microsoft for $75 billion, posted sales of $1.77 billion, a 22% drop from a year ago, reflecting weaker premium sales for “Call of Duty: Vanguard,” the latest installment in the popular franchise, as well as lower engagement with “Call of Duty: Warzone,” a free-to-play title.
Profit was $395 million, down from $619 million in the year-earlier quarter.