Activision Blizzard Q2 2020 Earnings Call

[Kallisto]

Wow look at all these defensive replies.

Post some quantifiable proof that World of Warcraft is increasing in player numbers. Oh wait you can't. You can only blindly repeat whatever Blizzard decides to squeeze out of their sphincter.

Considering if anything written here is close to a lie Kotik will end up in front of a judge then it's pretty simple to assume nothing written in the report is false.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Maybe people want to see thier money go to the people who made the game? Not Bobby at the top who doesn't do shit except lay off staff and cut costs as well as squeeze any possible pennies out of the playerbase

Sure, altruism fuels MMO-C outrage about WoW...

Whilst I'm not outraged and would like for some of the profits to find their way into the worker's pockets, I also know how Capitalism works, especially in the US.

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Considering if anything written here is close to a lie Kotik will end up in front of a judge then it's pretty simple to assume nothing written in the report is false.

B-b-but, what's written doesn't match how he FEELS!! How can it be true then??






/s

[Morpheel]

The only reason subs doubled last year was because of Classic.
You can keep coping until the game finally dies for good some time in the distant future, but it won't change the facts lol.

People have been saying the game has been dying since forever and either way it's a game, it WILL "end" at some point. It doesn't need to be forever, accept it. And why does it matter so bad to you where their revenue comes from? Classic/Retail share the sub. Money is money and they're making a f*ckload of it, it's why they still invest so much on the retail.

You have issues, work it out and move on from Blizzard man. As a legit recommendation: i've heard great things about FF XIV for a while now, maybe you could try it out and forget that Blizzard exists? Just saying.

[Gaidax]

Blizzard only had 203 Million bucks operating income in a quarter? Truly the sinking ship right there...

[Synros]

So, I wonder when we can expect Blizzard to denounce China's genocide of the Uighur people?...

[Darknessvamp]

"World of Warcraft engagement is the highest in a decade at this point ahead of an expansion." is a bit of an incorrect quote to take don't you think? They literally state anticipation for the expansion followed by "Engagement in the franchise is the highest it has been at this point ahead of an expansion in a decade." meaning they could be referring to attention focused on the game it's that vague. Usually they're more vocal about player engagement when boasting about how many more people are playing during that quarter.

[Edward Wu]

People have been saying the game has been dying since forever and either way it's a game, it WILL "end" at some point. It doesn't need to be forever, accept it. And why does it matter so bad to you where their revenue comes from? Classic/Retail share the sub. Money is money and they're making a f*ckload of it, it's why they still invest so much on the retail.

You have issues, work it out and move on from Blizzard man. As a legit recommendation: i've heard great things about FF XIV for a while now, maybe you could try it out and forget that Blizzard exists? Just saying.

You're dramatizing me for no good reason. Nobody is doomsaying. I'm simply poking fun at Blizzard's absurd narrative spinning. Stop taking this topic so seriously like I've personally offended you, lmao.

[potis]

"World of Warcraft engagement is the highest in a decade at this point ahead of an expansion." is a bit of an incorrect quote to take don't you think? They literally state anticipation for the expansion followed by "Engagement in the franchise is the highest it has been at this point ahead of an expansion in a decade." meaning they could be referring to attention focused on the game it's that vague. Usually they're more vocal about player engagement when boasting about how many more people are playing during that quarter.

It literally means exactly what it says.

"We are seeing a higher number of subscriptions compared to the previous X.3 patches", why do you people try to twist everything

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"World of Warcraft engagement is the highest in a decade at this point ahead of an expansion." is a bit of an incorrect quote to take don't you think? They literally state anticipation for the expansion followed by "Engagement in the franchise is the highest it has been at this point ahead of an expansion in a decade." meaning they could be referring to attention focused on the game it's that vague. Usually they're more vocal about player engagement when boasting about how many more people are playing during that quarter.

It literally means exactly what it says.

"We are seeing a higher number of subscriptions compared to the previous X.3 patches", why do you people try to twist everything

Combine it with Classic, and voila.

[Relapses]

You're dramatizing me for no good reason. Nobody is doomsaying. I'm simply poking fun at Blizzard's absurd narrative spinning. Stop taking this topic so seriously like I've personally offended you, lmao.

Literally you:

Post some quantifiable proof that World of Warcraft is increasing in player numbers. Oh wait you can't. You can only blindly repeat whatever Blizzard decides to squeeze out of their sphincter.

Three posts later after multiple people call you out for being dramatic:

"I'm not dramatic!!!!"

It'd be cute if it wasn't so fucking pathetic.

[Acidz]

First we had MAUs, now we have "engagement". At least we know their spin doctors haven't been laid off.

[KainneAbsolute]

Well, lots of friends returned to WoW but it was due to the pandemic

[Tigershrimp]

"World of Warcraft engagement is the highest in a decade at this point ahead of an expansion." is a bit of an incorrect quote to take don't you think? They literally state anticipation for the expansion followed by "Engagement in the franchise is the highest it has been at this point ahead of an expansion in a decade." meaning they could be referring to attention focused on the game it's that vague. Usually they're more vocal about player engagement when boasting about how many more people are playing during that quarter.

It's likely referring to hours played. the MAU didn't change, so the only other option is maybe the same amount of people are playing longer per day. Either way, it definitely leaves you with the feeling that they had to go looking for something good to say verse being excited to share the good news.

[Queen of Hamsters]

So, I wonder when we can expect Blizzard to denounce China's genocide of the Uighur people?...

Because that's solely on Blizzard when entire countries won't do it...

Jesus on a bike.

[Sensa1]

It literally means exactly what it says.

"We are seeing a higher number of subscriptions compared to the previous X.3 patches", why do you people try to twist everything

Combine it with Classic, and voila.

Well, a true literal interpretation of the phrase "Engagement with the franchise" would include Classic so it doesn't mean what you think it means and they are not seeing a higher number of subscribers for Retail alone at this stage of the expansion than prior expansions.

Engagement is also used by Blizzard to refer to MAU's and not subscribers. Engagement means the unknown number of players playing the game are spending more time doing so across the "franchise (retail and Classic combined).

While it might mean exactly what it vaguely says it does not mean there are more subscribers in Retail at this point in the expansion.

[korijenkins]

Well done blizzard!

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Or you guys are just indenial about it and mad that wow is still doing fine.

If that's the case, why aren't the employees of the company being paid livable wages?

You white knights disgust me, constant deflection without acknowledging or even accepting that your precious Blizzard is an immoral company that doesn't care about consumers or employees.

[trapmaster]

Sooo Multi-billionaire company couldn't bother paying their employees wages that are affordable for living?? Fucking Greedy

[Queen of Hamsters]

Ho Boy, I sure hope none of these people screeching about "supporting immoral companies" practicing capitalism are supporting other immoral companies...

But they are.

Attacking people for enjoying the game and being glad to see it's in fact not dying because Capitalism functions the way it does, is rather dull. Especially since one can assume that most people here contribute to profits for a number of immoral companies around the world.

[Darknessvamp]

It literally means exactly what it says.

"We are seeing a higher number of subscriptions compared to the previous X.3 patches", why do you people try to twist everything

Combine it with Classic, and voila.

If I was being pedantic I would said it literally doesn't mean that and Legion was the most recent with an x.3 ending patch and Cata being the last time before that. Plus they separate players and engagement considering their previous earning call had:

After doubling in the second half of 2019, World of Warcraft’s active player community2increased further in Q1, as the team continued to deliver more content between expansions than ever before

and

Reach and engagement were particularly strong as regions introduced shelter-at-home measures through the quarter, with momentum increasing further in April
Increased engagement in modern WoW drove accelerating pre-sales for the upcoming Shadowlands expansion, slated for the second half of this year

as separated points. If player subscriptions and engagement were the same then why would they word it differently?

It's likely referring to hours played. the MAU didn't change, so the only other option is maybe the same amount of people are playing longer per day. Either way, it definitely leaves you with the feeling that they had to go looking for something good to say verse being excited to share the good news.

Well their MAUs are across WoW, Hearthstone and Overwatch and refers directly to if someone logs into one of those games at some point during a month but you're right it might be a reference to how much longer subscribers are actively playing the game rather than a growth in active subscribers.

[Synros]

Because that's solely on Blizzard when entire countries won't do it...

Jesus on a bike.

If Blizzard can go out of their way to condemn police brutality in the US & make new company policies around addressing that issue, they sure as hell should be able to condemn the oppressive human rights violations and literally fucking genocide carried out by a country they want to push their games in. It's straight up hypocrisy on Blizzard's part.

[Volatilis]

Ho Boy, I sure hope none of these people screeching about "supporting immoral companies" practicing capitalism are supporting other immoral companies...

But they are.

Attacking people for enjoying the game and being glad to see it's in fact not dying because Capitalism functions the way it does, is rather dull. Especially since one can assume that most people here contribute to profits for a number of immoral companies around the world.

Yeah great argument.

Who cares if I kill dolphins in my off time when I kill elephants for my day job.

Sound logic.