Overwatch Has Earned Over a Billion Dollars Since it Launched in May

[ffronw]

Overwatch Has Earned Over a Billion Dollars Since it Launched in May

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1382/1382625.jpgIn just under a year, Overwatch has brought in over a billion dollars for Activision.

It's been a pretty good year for Overwatch. Besides putting on a number of events, including one celebrating the Summer Olympic Games, the team-based shooter has added heroes, maps, and more. We're currently in the third competitive season of play, and Overwatch continues to grow in popularity, as Blizzard announced that the game surpassed 30 million registered players last week. That's an impressive figure, but here's one that's even more so: Overwatch has pulled in over a billion dollars for Blizzard since it launched.

The news comes from Activision Blizzard's financial results [http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170504006637/en/Activision-Blizzard-Announces-Better-Than-Expected-Record-First-Quarter-2017] for the first quarter of 2017. Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, said, "This quarter we delivered record revenues, earnings per share and cash flow, and over-performed guidance." A big chunk of that comes from Overwatch, which Activision said is now "the 8th billion-dollar franchise in Activision Blizzard"s portfolio."

There's lots of info in the report, but the short version is that Overwatch has brought in a lot of cash over the last year, and that's contributed to Blizzard bringing in $441 million in the first quarter of the year. That's an increase of 50 percent over last year. You can check out the full report here [http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170504006637/en/Activision-Blizzard-Announces-Better-Than-Expected-Record-First-Quarter-2017].



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[animeprime]

Holy cow, except for the initial game purchase does that mean the rest of this came from just lootboxes?

 

[bjj hero]

I wondered what percentage came from loot boxes. Im glad its doing so well.

 

[animeprime]

Or maybe they're getting a cut of all the "mature" "artwork" that's been made of it. In which case why is it only 1 billion?

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

I wonder how much of that is smurf accounts actually...loot boxes helped, sure, but we're talking about a mandatory $40-60 vs. $2-40.

 

[animeprime]

Yeah, they say they have 30 million players, and just to low ball it lets say everyone bought the game for $40. If I'm doing my math right that's 1,200,000,000 from game sales alone. Are they using a weasel definition of "Player", like those that log in for free weekends or beta? Would be interesting if they ever published units sold.

 

[American Tanker]

Yeah, how much of this is from those stupid loot boxes? Fucking micro-CANCER.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Not very surprising. This is Blizzard. They could release anything and make a billion dollars on name recognition alone.

 

[XenoScifi]

Yeah, how much of this is from those stupid loot boxes? Fucking micro-CANCER.

I am 100% baffled why anybody is still mad about this. I play a lot and I literally forgot paid loot boxes even exist. OW is probably the least obnoxious with it's "micro-transactions" than any AAA title that has come out in recent history.

OT: 1 billion is a shitton of money for 1 game for that short about of time. I would love for Blizz to reinvest that into more OW. I know most have asked for it, but a series of GOOD MOVIES in the OW universe would net them much more.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

I'm happy for Overwatch because I do love the game (as you can tell from my avatar). I'm also unsettled by this because I worry what the new game designers are going to do with this.

Their eyes turning into dollar signs and mistakenly copy the aesthetic, or the maps, or the game modes to cash in. Churning out derivatives by the bucket load and not realizing that the only thing overwatch did was make a great game with great characters

 

[fractal_butterfly]

Yeah, they say they have 30 million players, and just to low ball it lets say everyone bought the game for $40. If I'm doing my math right that's 1,200,000,000 from game sales alone. Are they using a weasel definition of "Player", like those that log in for free weekends or beta? Would be interesting if they ever published units sold.

They will hardly make $40 per game sold. Even in Digital Sales, they will make about 70% of the full price, which would equal $40 if sold for a full $60 price. Many copies will have been sold for lower. Then there is business taxes. Then there is income taxes. Then there is retail, which might still be a huge chunk of copies sold, where they will hardly make 10-15$ per game sold.

 

[BakedZnake]

Yes, OW needs more funding from loot boxes, because this small indie company is struggling to produce 3 maps and 3 characters per year with the $1 billion budget. Hookers and blow do not come cheap.

 

[The Enquirer]

I'm happy for Overwatch because I do love the game (as you can tell from my avatar). I'm also unsettled by this because I worry what the new game designers are going to do with this.

Their eyes turning into dollar signs and mistakenly copy the aesthetic, or the maps, or the game modes to cash in. Churning out derivatives by the bucket load and not realizing that the only thing overwatch did was make a great game with great characters

This is just me, but I'd actually be really happy if more developers followed this philosophy. Release a game for 40 dollars and all future non-cosmetic content is included with the game. The only micro transactions are for purely cosmetic things that can be unlocked just by playing the game.

I'd honestly be thrilled if more games followed this philosophy.

 

[Kreett]

Well I've spent at the very least 200$ on lootboxes since launch

 

[Xerosch]

Well I've spent at the very least 200$ on lootboxes since launch

I'm kinda ashamed that the skin bug bit me as well. On the other hand: There are really great ones. And the timed exclusive stuff makes it pretty hard to resist.

I wonder if Blizzard is coocking up something for the game's first birthday...

 

[Kreett]

Well I've spent at the very least 200$ on lootboxes since launch

I'm kinda ashamed that the skin bug bit me as well. On the other hand: There are really great ones. And the timed exclusive stuff makes it pretty hard to resist.

I wonder if Blizzard is coocking up something for the game's first birthday...

I'm somewhat ashamed that I dropped 50 bucks just trying to get Mercy's combat medic skin