Activision Blizzard Q1 2020 Earnings Call
Activision Blizzard had their earnings call today.
- Activision had 102 million MAUs in the first quarter. This is down from 128 million MAU in Q4 2019.
- Blizzard had 32 million MAUs in the first quarter. This is the same as Q4 2019.
- After doubling in the second half of 2019, World of Warcraft’s active player community increased further in the first quarter, driven by both new and returning players, as the team continued to deliver more content between expansions than ever before.
- Each of Blizzard’s key franchises experienced a month-on-month increase in MAUs in March as a result of shelter-at-home tailwinds.
- Hearthstone engagement improved sequentially, driven by the new Battlegrounds game mode and strong execution in live operations.
- Overwatch engagement increased meaningfully in March and the Overwatch League successfully moved to online play and remote production.
- Shadowlands is still on schedule to release during Q4 this year.
- World of Warcraft drove strong revenue growth and operating margin growth for Blizzard.
- WoW Classic has been very strong in the east, WoW Retail was strong in the West.
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
COVID-19 Response
At Activision Blizzard, our number one priority is the health and safety of our employees and their families. All of our offices moved to work-from-home environments by mid-March. We are covering all costs of testing and treatment for affected employees and their families, and we have increased access to tele-health resources and contracted private doctors and medical support in regions where our employees live and work. And we are continuing to find other ways to support our employees and their families as we navigate through this unprecedented situation, including services to help families balance work and home life.
The digital nature of our content means our creative talent can continue to work on our product pipeline from home. While the shift to remote working adds complexity and challenges in some areas of the game development process, we are implementing mitigation measures to address these areas and, based on the work to date, we still expect to deliver a robust slate of content over the remainder of the year.
We have leveraged our game platforms to disseminate critical health and safety information while offering in-game events and rewards to promote social distancing. We have made donations to world class health organizations and medical centers in cities where our employees live and work, funding promising convalescent blood therapies and drug trials. And we have made an additional contribution to our own Call of Duty Endowment to continue placing veterans into high-quality jobs.
The increasingly digital, recurring and cash-generative nature of our operations remains one of our fundamental strengths. With a strong balance sheet, low capital intensity and a track record of disciplined capital allocation, we have substantial flexibility as we navigate through an uncertain environment.
Published on 2020-05-05 09:32 PM
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