Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Blizzard's latest press conference August 5th. More than 11.5 M subs - Cata will launch at the end
KingKong007
Member Posts: 149
Morhaime quoted:
"Blizzard has shown continued strength in the second quarter of 2010. Worldwide subscription numbers for World of Warcraft are holding steady at more than 11.5 million players despite the struggling economy and pressure on European currencies through the first half of the year. We were still able to grow our business year-over-year both in terms of revenue and profit. As a reminder, the results from Q2 don't include sales from StarCraft II, which was just launched a week ago."
and
"Also I'd like to point the release of Cataclysm being our best expansion yet for World of Warcraft. Although an exact release date has not yet been announced, we are on track to launch the expansion by the end of the year. As with all Blizzard games though, we won't release until it's ready.
and for our Chinese friends:
"I have some great news to share about what World of Warcraft in China. Our partner, NetEase, has received official written approval from JPP for Wrath of the Lich King. There is one remaining regulatory approval needed before the expansion can launch, but this is a positive sign for bringing our latest content to Chinese players"
The other departments of Activision lagged behind btw, resulting in less positive figures than the watchers expected from Kotick's Activision group (the end of the emperor ?) 
Full transcript was published on August 6th
http://seekingalpha.com/article/219068-activision-blizzard-q2-2010-earnings-call-transcript
Comments
The unstoppable juggernaut rolls on
It's easy to make claims in statements, but proof via links and sources or it doesn't exist and is just a baseless claim.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
In rereading I rechecked it on the financial results on Acti-Blizzard home page and what Morhaime stated (rise in revenue) it was correct:
Year to date:
Activision: USD 670 M (2010) against 796 M (2009)
Blizzard: USD 605 M (2010) against 581 M (2009).
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ACTI/820965031x0x393942/a728701a-e87b-4477-90d6-775413f6e556/PressReleaseTablesQ2CY1Final.pdf (last page).
Blizzard was the only department that had a net revenu growth. Activision group declined (resulting in 6% stock rate drop after stocks ended).
.
As SC2 was not included in these figures, it is clear Blizzard is the main holder of the Activision- Blizzard empire at the moment. It would give Mike Morhaime more power vs Kotick.
Time brought me a conclusion. This guys deserve their profits because they effectively are the company with the best quality in terms of the games they sell, period.
Unfortunately this numbers only make other companies to bombard the market with new games , but not good games, only low quality ones.
As a beta tester I must say that cataclysm is a great new experience and that Blizzard improved much this game and its leveling experience, and It will surely bring a new top on the subscription numbers. So, their 11.5M now will surely increase by the end of this fiscal year and the next report will be much higher in profits
Im counting on the new attempt made by Square with FFXIV and Bioware, wich are I companies that I respect highly, to present new games with great quality to counter Blizzard "monopoly" of the market as of now
I play WoW and would have to consider myself a fan but nothing would make me happier to see some new game just destroy it utterly. 5 years is enough for me!
Your are not really asking me to post the links on that?
What do you want links for?
Link to a confirmation its the least profitable quarter since Q3 2008? Just look at the sales in the reports. Its just comparing the latest 7 numbers.
The quarterly reports? If anyone remotely cares about them he allready knows where and how to find them.
The reported millions from just the panda sales and the horse? Type "WoW Celestial Steed/Panda Sales" into google if you missed the the PR gag and everyone and their mom posting about it here and everywhere.
Thats not info you need to link to in a topic like this...thats like asking for a link that proofs that Morhaim guy is even related to WoW.
PS: I said drop in sales for WoW, not for Blizzard. Posting unrelevant quotes about Blizzards general profit growth is well unrelevant. Im mean how many fucking MMOs does Blizzard run its not that hard. But hey Im trying to explain that to someone who tried to sell NCSoft "profits" as "revenues" before...
.
WoW is almost six years old now.
.
It just drove two of it's closest competitors to adapt a free to play model.
.
The only games that grow in a WoW universe are Eve, which encourages it's players to buy more than one account, Runescape and Dofus, the latter two being browser games.
Well shave my back and call me an elf! -- Oghren
This is not a question of WOW alone. This was the latest financial update on Blizzard and how they grow within the Activision Blizzard group.
Being the only department that grew over the last year means more resources for Morhaime and Co. After experiencing SC2, I welcome this change in balance within the Activision-Blizzard department.
These figures ended on June 2010 and didn't include SC2 and upcoming Cata and China Wotlk launch.
I think it is good news for "players in general" that the Blizzard group gains momentum within the holding.
I love it when people fight over (unaudited) financials not know what they hell they are looking at or what it means.. LOL TY for this mornings entertainment..
I am over my hatred for World of Warcraft. I played it for a couple years, it was changed into something i didn't sign on for, I bitched for a couple years and now I've moved on.
With that said grats to Blizzard for retaining eleven and a half million subscriptions and staying the best fantasy mmorpg experience available in this horrid market.
Lets stop bitching about WoW and just move on. You will be much happier once you do. trust me.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
wow, this must be great news for all the people who still play this game. Maybe next year some of the WoW players will take off the training wheels and try out some of the harder MMO's
What harder mmos? sandbox games? those arent harder just require a much larger time investment and are dependent on group play.
"Harder MMOs" are a joke.
The cake is a lie.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
i am talking about mmo's that dont spoonfeed the community like WoW does. I can see that i can not argue with the fanboi, for they will never understand, just saying that WoW, being a decent MMO, is more just like a stepping stone for inexperienced MMORPG players and pretty much every other pay to play MMO is harder to play then it is. WoW introduces people to the mmorpg genra, then hopefully they get the concept and move on to a challenge and have more fun.
How dare you label me a fanboi. I'm a sandbox fanatic (you would know that if you read any of my post history).
I'm simply stating that the claim that there are "harder" mmos is simply bullshit to discredit WoW.
THe mmo genre as a whole is not challenging it all.
I disagree with your stepping stone comment also its a fact many players moved on from the mother of all mmos EQ to WoW and had a challenging experience before blizzard moronically removed 40 man instances and world raids.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
He probably means an MMO that might require you to think at least a little bit. Don't get me wrong, WoW is my MMO, but it's hardly challenging these days unless you get down to pvp and perhaps some achievments. Overall the game is a cake walk meant to retain subs from idiots and childeren who otherwise would not be able to see content or progress through the game. Hell, Cataclysm itself I hear has chosen to dumb down stats so people don't have to think about what gear drops and what stats it has on it. Not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing though ... math in games kinda sucks anyway.
Do you have an example of a "harder MMO" and why you think it is "harder"?
Top 10 Most Misused Words in MMO's
"Harder MMOs" are a joke.
The cake is a lie.
He probably means an MMO that might require you to think at least a little bit. Don't get me wrong, WoW is my MMO, but it's hardly challenging these days unless you get down to pvp and perhaps some achievments. Overall the game is a cake walk meant to retain subs from idiots and childeren who otherwise would not be able to see content or progress through the game. Hell, Cataclysm itself I hear has chosen to dumb down stats so people don't have to think about what gear drops and what stats it has on it. Not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing though ... math in games kinda sucks anyway.
.
There's no such thing as a hard MMO. They are simple so that the masses won't flood customer service with calls. Customer service is an MMOs largest expense after launch.
.
Some MMOs have a tedious component that some find difficult. Is that what you mean? A grind?
Well shave my back and call me an elf! -- Oghren
Why do you feel the need to insult people for their choice of mmos? Calling people idiots for liking WoW?
Also last I read that stat change wasn't dumbling down but an attempt to fix bloating that happened due to bad game mechanic management by blizzard. Having three stats that basically affect the same thing is retardation.
While I do agree WoW offers accessibility to all types of gamers it does offer challenging aspect such as 25 man hardmodes and its top end pvp arena system.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
Your generalizations about those that play or have played WoW are ignorant at best. There are a lot of us that played or still play WoW that came from games like EQ and Lineage 2. I would ask that you define your version of "fun and challenging". The use of the word fanboi immediately detracts from any arguement that you could make. (although you didnt really have an arguement to begin with) There are no MMO's that are "hard" to play some just require more of a time investment than others.
LMFAO!!! Great start to my day, thank you.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
I was actually addressing Sukiyaki and his claim of Q2 being least profitable than your OP, but your figures take care of proving that it isn't true
Unless you have other evidence that supports your claim, Sukiyaki?
And I really hope that other people like a Morhaime get more power than Kotick, because Kotick is a genuine corporate prick with no real heart and soul for games at all. I suspect that some of the decisions that Blizzard made the last year or 2 were purely under the influence of the Activision+Vivendi corporate culture and a number of the topmanagement people like Kotick that make the decisions for the whole of the Vivendi - Activision Blizzard concern.
I don't think so. In fact, I think that with all the great looking upcoming MMO's the MMO market will get a lot more vibrant and diverse than it has been the last few years. Sure, maybe there won't be a 'WoW killer' or another elephant to replace the big elephant WoW out of the room, but there sure as hell will be sabretooth tigers, lions, bears and the occasional rhino arriving on the scene to hound the old elephant every tired step that it'll make.
Personally I don't really care what MMO will be the greatest, I'm not hung up on solely 1 game, but as a MMO gamer and true fan of the MMO genre you can't help but get excited by the variety of choice between potentially great MMO's that the upcoming MMO's infuses the genre with.
FFXIV, TERA, CATA, Vindictus, SW:TOR, DCUO, GW2, Rift, The Secret World, and a bit further down the road Dust 514, Jumpgate Evolution, Copernicus and World of Darkness, that's an impressive line up for the next year of two, guaranteed to have at least a couple of successes among their ranks.
It'll be an interesting and exciting time for MMO gamers
The only thing I hate is that after a dry and stale period of a few years now all those interesting MMO's are coming all together in a 1 year period or so.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
Saying that the current state of the economy can be easily overcome by releasing a few cash shop items is laughable.
Also, there hasn't been an expansion released in quite some time. Obviously sales of those continue to slow down as well as more and more people own the expansion.
with MMO's I do not get excited till the steak is on the table. While it is cooking it might be a pork chop, but they tell you it is a steak.
Ah, but if you smell the scent of the spice flavored meat in the air while you're in the restaurant or take a peek in the kitchen to see what wonders your gf is cooking this time, then you certainly are getting hungry and feel your appetite rise, or not?
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
I can't wait until Cata is released. I want to play WoW again (I get the blues every now and then) but do not want to until Cata hits. Good to hear it may at least be this year (well maybe).
There are absolutely no MMOs where a dumb (or particularly unlucky) decision will set you back a month or even more.
These are not the MMOs you are looking for.