Call of Duty
GameBy Infinity Ward · Released Oct 29, 2003
Documents about Call of Duty
PUBG Mobile Generates $500 Million in Just Over Two Months: Races Past $3.5 Billion Lifetime Revenue
PUBG Mobile has solidified its position as a dominant force in the mobile battle royale genre, surpassing $3.5 billion in lifetime player spending as of September 2020.
- PUBG Mobile has surpassed $3.5 billion in lifetime player spending, generating $500 million of that total in just 72 days.
- The game accumulated $1.8 billion in revenue and 198 million downloads during the first eight months of 2020, bolstered by global pandemic lockdowns.
- China is the title's largest revenue market, with the localized version 'Game For Peace' accounting for 53% of total lifetime spending on the Apple App Store.
State of Mobile Battle Royale: Fortnite Leaves a $1.2 Billion Hole in the Market
The removal of Fortnite from the Apple App Store and Google Play on August 13, 2020, created a significant disruption in the mobile battle royale landscape, effectively removing a title that had generated $1.2 billion in lifetime player spending.
- Fortnite generated $1.2 billion in lifetime revenue on mobile before its removal from the App Store and Google Play on August 13, 2020.
- The vast majority of Fortnite's mobile revenue came from the App Store, which accounted for over $1.2 billion in spending compared to $9.7 million on Google Play.
- PUBG Mobile is the global leader in the mobile battle royale genre, having generated approximately $3.5 billion in player spending as of August 13, 2020.
How Did Covid-19 Affect Mobile Game Market Share & Revenues in the US?
This analysis examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States mobile gaming market by comparing in-app purchase (IAP) revenue and market share data between the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020.
- Roblox Corporation, Activision, and Moon Active were the top-performing publishers in Q2 2020, with Roblox Corporation seeing the largest gains in both market share and revenue.
- Simulation games experienced significant growth during Q2 2020, increasing their market share by 3.75% and generating nearly $80 million in additional earnings.
- Casual and Casino categories increased their revenue market share at the expense of Mid-core and Sports categories, though total revenues grew across nearly all categories.
Why We’re Redefining Gamers
The gaming industry has reached a level of ubiquity comparable to television, necessitating a shift away from the outdated, monolithic label of "gamer."
- The term 'gamer' is no longer a useful demographic label because gaming has become as ubiquitous as social media or television, necessitating a shift toward segmenting by subcultures and specific motivations.
- Mobile gaming has driven mass adoption across diverse demographics, with 74% of both male and female internet users playing games on smartphones, effectively closing the gender gap found in console and PC gaming.
- Gaming participation has surged across older demographics, with 55-64 year-olds increasing their mobile gaming engagement to 45% and their PC/laptop usage to 35% as of mid-2020.
PUBG Mobile Doubles Lifetime Revenue to $3 Billion
PUBG Mobile, including its Chinese localized version Game For Peace, has achieved a significant financial milestone by reaching $3 billion in lifetime global revenue.
- PUBG Mobile and its Chinese localization, Game For Peace, reached $3 billion in lifetime global revenue, doubling that figure in just over seven months.
- In the first half of 2020 alone, the combined titles generated $1.3 billion, with monthly revenue peaking at a record $270 million in March.
- The Chinese version, Game For Peace, accounts for 52% of total lifetime revenue, with the U.S. and Japan following at 14% and 5.6% respectively.
Does Tencent Hate Riot?
Tencent’s internal development strategy is defined by a competitive, Darwinian model often described as a shark womb, where internal studios are encouraged to compete against one another to produce the most successful titles.
- Tencent operates with a 'shark womb' strategy, where internal studios like TiMi and Quantum/Lightspeed compete directly against each other, and Tencent prioritizes the success of the overall portfolio over the protection of individual franchises.
- Tencent’s internal rivalry strategy was exemplified by the launch of two competing mobile versions of PUBG, where the company released both to market and allowed real-world data to determine the winner.
- TiMi’s Honor of Kings has remained China’s top-grossing app for nearly five years, despite initial internal conflict with Riot Games over the use of League of Legends branding in marketing materials.
What's the Career Path of a Celebrity Gamer?
This analysis examines the shifting landscape of the global video game industry during early 2020, focusing on the professionalization of gaming personalities, the entry of big tech into cloud services, and the evolving platform dynamics of streaming and digital distribution.
- Asian markets are aggressively pursuing vertical integration, exemplified by Tencent’s majority acquisition of Huya to directly link game marketing with content consumption.
- Celebrity gamers face significant long-term career instability due to a lack of post-retirement infrastructure comparable to traditional sports, despite high-value exclusivity deals.
- The operational costs of maintaining social gaming platforms are rising due to systemic issues like cheating, specifically noted in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Xbox Bonanza: That FTC Win and the Future of Game Pass
The primary focus of this analysis is the legal and strategic landscape of Microsoft’s gaming division following a significant legal victory against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Microsoft successfully defended its Activision Blizzard acquisition against the FTC after the court ruled that the company lacked the incentive to withhold Call of Duty from competitors.
- The court’s decision was influenced by Microsoft’s 10-year commitment to provide Call of Duty to Sony and Nintendo, as well as the judge's rejection of the FTC’s market definition that excluded the Nintendo Switch.
- Microsoft’s 'Horizon 3' strategy, which aimed for ubiquitous global access by 2023, has underperformed, with Game Pass expansion proving slower than internal projections anticipated.
Hyper-Casual Grew Share of Top New Game Downloads to 78% in 2019
The hyper-casual mobile game genre experienced significant growth in 2019, solidifying its dominance among the most downloaded new releases.
- Hyper-casual games accounted for 77.6% of all downloads among the top 20 new mobile games released in 2019, up from 68% in 2018.
- The number of hyper-casual titles appearing in the top 20 list of new games grew from 13 in 2018 to 16 in 2019.
- The 20 most downloaded new games of 2019 generated a combined 2.1 billion installs, with hyper-casual titles dominating the volume.
Sweeney's Utopia: The Puritan Perspective of Epic Games CEO
This analysis examines the shifting landscape of the global video game industry in early 2020, focusing on the tension between idealistic business models and the pragmatic financial pressures of major platforms and publishers.
- Apple’s 2019 services revenue reached $46 billion with a 64% margin, which is double the margin of its hardware business.
- Tim Sweeney’s push for open ecosystems and reduced monetization is financially viable primarily due to the massive success of Fortnite, while most other industry players remain dependent on closed platforms and predatory revenue models.
- YouTube’s $160 million media rights deal for Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues indicates a stagnation in esports growth compared to previous Twitch agreements.
Top Game Genres by Revenues and Downloads
This analysis examines the performance of mobile game genres by evaluating the 1,000 most downloaded and 1,000 highest-grossing titles over a 30-day period.
- The Asian mobile market (Tier-1 East) exhibits significantly higher average Lifetime Value (LTV) across game genres compared to Western markets, with top-performing titles like Fate/Grand Order reaching an LTV of $430.
- High-LTV genres are typically characterized by high production costs, requiring substantial content, complex mechanics, and premium technical quality, making them difficult to enter without significant investment.
- Tencent dominates the Tier-1 East market, with its title Honor of Kings accounting for 95% of the MOBA genre's performance and generating approximately $5 billion in revenue on iOS in China alone.
Is Twitch Losing the Live Streaming Wars?
This analysis examines the competitive pressures facing Twitch and the broader live-streaming and cloud gaming landscape as of early 2020.
- Twitch underperformed in 2019, generating approximately $300 million in revenue against internal projections of $500 million to $600 million.
- YouTube is aggressively challenging Twitch’s dominance in esports by securing exclusive broadcast rights for Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch and Call of Duty Leagues.
- Twitch’s market position is threatened by a lack of a clear 'second act' and a heavy reliance on ad monetization and a limited number of core titles like League of Legends.
Companies behind it
- Activisionpublisher, developer517
Microsoftdeveloper, publisher, owner1,080
Activision Blizzarddeveloper, publisher, owner413- Xbox Game Studiospublisher13
Overwolfowner23
Nintendoowner1,391
As the documents state it.