Battlefield 2042
Documents about Battlefield 2042
Plus: Steam Post-Release Analysis Gets Hype'd
This analysis introduces a suite of proprietary data tools designed to track and predict the commercial performance of premium PC and console games, with a primary focus on the Steam platform.
- The 'Hype to Reality' (HTR) ratio, calculated by comparing pre-release engagement metrics against first-week review totals, provides a benchmark for identifying overperforming and underperforming titles.
- While the median HTR for major Steam releases is 0.16, breakout titles like Inscryption can significantly outperform market expectations with a ratio of 2.34.
- High-profile releases can experience a disconnect between scale and sentiment, as seen with Battlefield 2042, which maintained 100,000 concurrent players despite a 22% positive review score.
Plus: Steam Also - Love Is a Battlefield
This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the PC and console gaming market for November 2021, focusing on Steam performance metrics and upcoming release trends.
- Forza Horizon 5 achieved significant commercial success in November 2021, recording over 10,600 reviews and 80,000 concurrent users on Steam during its first week.
- Myth of Empires demonstrated strong market anticipation with 24,000 Steam followers leading up to its release.
- Jurassic World Evolution 2 maintained high player engagement levels despite receiving mixed critical feedback regarding its gameplay progression systems.
Whose Hype Is Converting in November?
Analysis of Steam performance data from November 2021 introduces the Hype to Reality (HTR) ratio, a metric designed to measure how effectively pre-release interest converts into actual player engagement.
- The Hype to Reality (HTR) ratio, calculated by dividing first-week Steam reviews by pre-release engagement metrics, serves as a primary benchmark for launch success with a median value of 0.15.
- Bright Memory: Infinite achieved the highest performance in the study with an HTR of 1.53, bolstered by a significant Chinese player base and a free upgrade strategy.
- AAA titles including Battlefield 2042 (0.62) and Forza Horizon 5 (0.50) successfully converted high baseline expectations into player engagement, outperforming the 0.15 median.
10 Print RIP
This industry commentary reflects on the legacy of Sir Clive Sinclair, the British computing pioneer who passed away in September 2021 at the age of 81.
- EA's share price fell by approximately 7% following the announcement that Battlefield 2042 would be delayed by one month.
- Mobile analytics firm App Annie and its CEO were fined $10 million and $300,000 respectively by the SEC for misleading practices regarding the handling of confidential data.
- Former Bungie audio director Marty O’Donnell was found in contempt of court and ordered to pay $100,000 to his former employer for unauthorized use of Destiny assets.
We're Having a Total War With Pathfinder?
This market analysis examines the performance and anticipation of premium PC and console games during late August 2021.
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous entered its late August 2021 launch week with 250,000 to 300,000 wishlists and a #33 Hype ranking, highlighting strong demand for deep fantasy CRPGs.
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite led Steam global top sellers with 15,000 peak concurrent users, while Psychonauts 2 achieved 7,000 peak concurrent users despite being available day-one on Xbox Game Pass.
- A Total War Saga: Troy transitioned to Steam following a successful Epic Games Store promotion that saw 7.5 million redemptions.
Electronic Arts Q1 FY22 Financial Results
Electronic Arts reported strong financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2022, ending June 30, 2021, characterized by revenue growth and an optimistic outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year.
- Electronic Arts reported Q1 FY22 net revenue of $1.551 billion, representing a 6% year-over-year increase.
- Live services remain the primary revenue driver, contributing $1.229 billion to the total quarterly revenue.
- Management raised its full-year outlook for FY22, projecting $6.850 billion in net revenue and $7.400 billion in net bookings.
Moving Forward, Looking Back
This analysis examines the state of Electronic Arts (EA) during the July 2021 industry event cycle, specifically focusing on the company’s shift from predictable, profit-driven marketing to more engaging product reveals.
- EA Play 2021 marked a shift in strategy for Electronic Arts, moving away from its traditional reliance on celebrity-driven marketing toward highlighting gameplay innovations like the new 'Portal' mode in Battlefield 2042.
- Battlefield 2042's 'Portal' mode leverages nostalgia by allowing players to mix and match maps, factions, and rules from across the franchise's history, creating a sustainable content loop that reduces the burden on post-launch development.
- Activision Blizzard is facing significant industry scrutiny following a lawsuit regarding systemic sexual harassment, discrimination, and pay inequality.
No Single Player in Battlefield 2042
The decision to omit a single-player campaign from Battlefield 2042 highlights an ongoing industry debate regarding the necessity of narrative modes in predominantly multiplayer-focused franchises.
- Battlefield 2042 is the first entry in the franchise to launch without a single-player story mode.
- Historical sales data for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which also lacked a single-player campaign, shows it performed competitively against subsequent titles like Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War in six tracked European territories.
- Despite the commercial viability of multiplayer-only models, major publishers like Activision have continued to include single-player campaigns in recent Call of Duty releases.
E3 Showcases: What Discovery Boost Do They Really Give?
This analysis examines the quantifiable impact of E3 and Summer Game Fest showcases on game discovery, specifically focusing on Steam wishlist and follower growth.
- Major platform showcases like Xbox & Bethesda or Summer Game Fest can generate between 15,000 and 50,000 Steam wishlists, with high-profile titles occasionally exceeding one million.
- Showcase-driven traffic results in a lower-quality lead, yielding 20 to 25 wishlists per follower compared to the industry standard ratio of 9.5 to 1.
- Medium-tier events such as the PC Gaming Show or Day of the Devs typically drive between 3,000 and 7,000 Steam wishlists per featured title.
News Mash-Up: Week 22 & 23 (June 2021)
This industry update provides a comprehensive overview of major developments within the global gaming sector during the first two weeks of June 2021.
- Microsoft is expanding its Xbox cloud gaming strategy by developing a streaming dongle and smart TV app to enable GamePass access via browsers, mirroring the Stadia model.
- Take-Two Interactive acquired mobile developer Nordeus, creator of Top Eleven, for $378 million to expand its mobile gaming footprint.
- GameStop reported a 25% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.3 billion for Q1 2021, though the company still posted a net loss of $41 million.