Call of Duty
GameBy Infinity Ward · Released Oct 29, 2003
Documents about Call of Duty
What the Activision Acquisition Means for the Games Industry
The $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft represents a strategic pivot toward securing high-value intellectual property to dominate the emerging metaverse.
- Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is a strategic move to secure high-quality intellectual property, such as Call of Duty and Candy Crush, to anchor its position in the emerging metaverse.
- While Activision titles will remain multi-platform in the short term due to existing contracts and development cycles, Microsoft intends to transition them into long-term Xbox exclusives to differentiate its brand and drive Game Pass subscriptions.
- The acquisition reflects a broader industry trend where consolidation accelerates ahead of new platform or technology shifts, as evidenced by Take-Two Interactive’s $12.7 billion purchase of Zynga occurring just weeks prior.
Old Games, FIFA and Switch Dominated Europe in 2021: European Market Report
The European video game market in 2021 was characterized by the sustained popularity of legacy titles and the Nintendo Switch, even as the industry faced a slight decline in software sales compared to the pandemic-driven highs of 2020.
- Over 170 million games were sold in Europe in 2021, a 9.5% drop from 2020, but a 12.3% increase compared to 2019.
- FIFA 22 was the top-selling game in Europe in 2021, selling almost double the second-place title, Grand Theft Auto 5.
- The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in Europe in 2021, with sales declining only 6% from 2020, while PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sales were limited by stock shortages.
Reasons to be Cheerful
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft for $68.7 billion represents a significant turning point for the industry, offering a potential path toward organizational reform and creative revitalization.
- Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion will result in the immediate departure of CEO Bobby Kotick and a significant restructuring of the company's leadership and corporate culture.
- The acquisition provides an opportunity to move away from the 'hit factory' model that prioritized annual Call of Duty releases, potentially allowing support studios like Raven and Toys for Bob to pursue more creative projects.
- Blizzard is expected to shift away from strict milestone-driven development toward more patient, quality-focused production methods, similar to its historical approach during the development of titles like Overwatch.
Bobby Kotick Reportedly Considered Buying Kotaku and PC Gamer
Reports indicate that former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick previously explored the acquisition of major gaming media outlets, specifically Kotaku and PC Gamer.
- Italy's antitrust regulator, AGCM, has launched an investigation into Activision Blizzard over concerns that 'Diablo Immortal' and 'Call of Duty Mobile' utilize 'dark patterns' to manipulate consumer spending.
- The Italian investigation is examining whether the games' UI design misleads users regarding the actual cost of in-game currency and if notifications urging the purchase of limited-time items are deceptive.
- Regulators are scrutinizing the default parental control settings in these mobile titles, specifically citing concerns over unrestricted purchasing, unlimited playtime, and unmonitored social interactions for minors.
36 Million Games and 3.4 Million Consoles Sold in the UK in 2021: UK Annual Report
The UK video game market experienced a year of hardware growth and software contraction in 2021.
- In 2021, the UK sold 35.8 million games, 3.36 million consoles, and 10.6 million accessories.
- The Nintendo Switch was the UK's best-selling console in 2021, surpassing the PlayStation 5 in the final weeks of the year, with console sales overall up 14% compared to 2020.
- Game software sales declined by 16% in 2021 compared to 2020, but were up 38% compared to 2019, with 20.5 million digital games and 15.3 million physical games sold.
2021 US Games Spending: Annual Report
The United States video game market achieved a record-breaking performance in 2021, with total consumer spending reaching $60.4 billion.
- US consumer spending on games reached a record $60.4 billion in 2021, an 8% increase year-over-year, with software accounting for $51.7 billion (85%) of this revenue.
- Call of Duty: Vanguard was the best-selling game of 2021 in the US, marking the 13th consecutive year a Call of Duty title topped the annual charts.
- The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in 2021 in terms of both unit and dollar sales, contributing to a 14% increase in hardware revenue to $6 billion.
Noble Fates' Stealth Success, Examined
This analysis examines the performance of various PC and console titles during the final weeks of 2021, with a specific focus on the unconventional success of the fantasy kingdom simulator Noble Fates.
- Noble Fates achieved over 1,000 concurrent users and a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam despite launching its store page only two weeks before release, challenging the necessity of long-term wishlist accumulation.
- The success of Noble Fates suggests that high-quality titles in popular genres can bypass traditional marketing cycles through rapid organic discovery and unconventional tactics like using a custom Steam curator page as a landing site.
- Hardcore niche titles demonstrated strong market resilience in late 2021, with Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnought maintaining over 1,000 concurrent users.
November Spending Down 10% Compared to 2020: US Monthly Charts
Consumer spending on video games in the United States experienced a 10% year-on-year decline in November 2021, totaling $6.3 billion.
- US consumer spending on gaming in November 2021 decreased by 10% year-on-year to $6.3 billion, though year-to-date spending increased by 9% to $52.9 billion.
- Hardware sales in November 2021 dropped by 38% compared to 2020, reaching $883 million, the lowest November total since 2016 due to console inventory shortages.
- Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in November 2021, selling 1.13 million units in the US, and has been the top-selling console for 35 out of the last 36 months.
Death of the Titans
The gaming industry is witnessing a potential decline in the influence and relevance of its largest traditional publishers, specifically Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts.
- Major publishers including Activision, Ubisoft, and EA are experiencing a decline in influence and creative output, struggling to maintain their status as reliable hitmakers.
- Sales for the mainline Call of Duty franchise dropped 40% year-on-year as of November 2021, signaling a potential cooling of interest in established AAA franchises.
- EA’s Battlefield 2042 launched with significant technical issues and negative reception, highlighting the operational failures and lack of quality control currently plaguing major publishers.
The Holiday Period and What It Means for Retail
The video game industry experiences a significant seasonal surge during the fourth quarter, defined as weeks 39 through 52.
- The Q4 period (weeks 39–52) is the most critical window for video game sales, historically driven by the release of major titles like FIFA and holiday gift-buying.
- Physical retail sales are in a long-term decline, with a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of -8% between 2018 and 2020.
- Digital network sales experienced a significant surge in Q4 2020, with unit sales increasing by 54% compared to 2019, largely fueled by demand for FIFA and Call of Duty.
Plus: Back to the Jurassic Forza Era?
The analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the PC and console gaming landscape for early November 2021, focusing on upcoming releases and recent performance trends.
- Forza Horizon 5 is the top-hyped upcoming title with approximately 96,000 Steam followers, projecting to reach nearly one million wishlists.
- Jurassic World Evolution 2 is positioned for strong performance, building on the success of its predecessor which achieved nearly two million total sales.
- The indie title Unpacking significantly outperformed expectations, securing over 900 positive reviews shortly after its early November 2021 launch.
Top 10 Games in Argentina: H1 2021
The mobile gaming market in Argentina during the first half of 2021 demonstrated a notable shift in consumer preferences, characterized by a strong appetite for both established global titles and emerging children-focused games.
- In H1 2021, Garena Free Fire and Roblox were the top two games by revenue in Argentina, though their earnings decreased by 19% and 25% respectively compared to the previous period.
- Genshin Impact and Toca Life World both doubled their revenues in H1 2021 compared to H2 2020, with Toca Life World, a kids' game, notably entering Argentina's top 10 grossing games.
- Among Us maintained its top position by downloads in H1 2021 but experienced a significant 75% decrease in downloads, while Garena Free Fire, also a top download, saw a smaller 29% decline.
Companies behind it
- Activisionpublisher, developer520
Activision Blizzarddeveloper, publisher, owner415
Microsoftpublisher, developer, owner1,086- Xbox Game Studiospublisher13
Valvepublisher383
Overwolfowner24
Nintendoowner1,397
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