Report: Call of Duty is Dying

Call of Duty sales slow down as casual buyers find entertainment elsewhere
by Frank Cifaldi

Previous analyst predictions were right: it looks like ongoing sales of the annual Call of Duty franchise are beginning to slow down.

Life-to-date sales of 2011's entry Modern Warfare 3 are behind where 2010's Black Ops was at this time last year, despite the former having a stronger debut.

While exact sales numbers are not public, analysts at Macquarie Equities say that Modern Warfare 3 volume sales are behind by around 4.2 percent.

Notably, March sales in particular were damning, with last month's sales of Modern Warfare 3 reportedly less than half the amount that Black Ops sold at that time last year.

Analysts at PiperJaffray say that these numbers cound indicate significant changes in the market: specifically, the firm believes that casual players -- those who don't necessarily purchase a game at launch -- are buying less games at retail, and are instead using their consoles primarily for video streaming and other forms of media consumption.

Webush Securities analyst Michael Pachter added that March's weak performance could indicate that software sales are becoming more reliant on new releases, meaning consumers are less often buying games after their initial debut.

Publisher Activision Blizzard does not rely entirely on boxed retail sales for Call of Duty revenue. In fact, 34 percent of the company's revenue in its last fiscal quarter came from digital sales, much of that from the 1.5 million annual premium subscribers to its Call of Duty Elite service.Gamasutra

Honestly, I can't blame anyone. Modern Warfare 3 was crap, and a greater letdown coming from the consistently fun and exhilerating Black Ops. I can only hope that this year's Black Ops 2 will be as good as Black Ops was, and that it performs accordingly.

SOURCE (via NeoGAF)

Best news I've heard all week. I have an iirational hatred towards that series and will applaud its decline

Call of duty is Dooooomed. StrongDeadlift

[QUOTE="StrongDeadlift"]Call of duty is Dooooomed. charizard1605

You all need to STFU about the Treyarch games. CoD3 was not as good as CoD2 and World at War was not as good as Modern Warfare. The only time Treyarch had a leg up on Infinity Ward was Black Ops being better than Modern Warfare 2, and even then BO was not that good to begin with.

All they have to do is put some effort into the games (or make some more false promises) and it will rise again. Androvinus

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="StrongDeadlift"]Call of duty is Dooooomed. NeonNinja

You all need to STFU about the Treyarch games. CoD3 was not as good as CoD2 and World at War was not as good as Modern Warfare. The only time Treyarch had a leg up on Infinity Ward was Black Ops being better than Modern Warfare 2, and even then BO was not that good to begin with.

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

TecmoGirl

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="StrongDeadlift"]Call of duty is Dooooomed. NeonNinja

You all need to STFU about the Treyarch games. CoD3 was not as good as CoD2 and World at War was not as good as Modern Warfare. The only time Treyarch had a leg up on Infinity Ward was Black Ops being better than Modern Warfare 2, and even then BO was not that good to begin with.

[QUOTE="TecmoGirl"]

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

charizard1605

Gimmie a break. MW3 broke sells records again. CoD may have reached it's peek, but it sure as hell aint dying. All the franchise needs is some damn innovation, and the franchise would be fresh again. I mean hell it's been five years since the game has had anything meaningful innovation. carljohnson3456

I don't think it's so much CoD that people are getting tired of, but more of people just getting sick of MW3. That game was pretty mediocre...

I kinda blame Elite besides franchise fatigue. Although Spec Ops is really fun.

[QUOTE="NeonNinja"]

[QUOTE="charizard1605"] The Treyarch games are great fun. Black Ops in particular was great. I hope Black Ops 2 is as good as the first one was. In any case, I called that Black Ops would be where Call of Duty would peak a long time ago.DarkLink77

You all need to STFU about the Treyarch games. CoD3 was not as good as CoD2 and World at War was not as good as Modern Warfare. The only time Treyarch had a leg up on Infinity Ward was Black Ops being better than Modern Warfare 2, and even then BO was not that good to begin with.

[QUOTE="Androvinus"]All they have to do is put some effort into the games (or make some more false promises) and it will rise again. charizard1605

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="TecmoGirl"]

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

DarkLink77

Down 4.2 percent? That's it? Seems like someone was having a slow news day. Call of Duty isn't going anywhere any time soon.

[QUOTE="carljohnson3456"]Gimmie a break. MW3 broke sells records again. CoD may have reached it's peek, but it sure as hell aint dying. All the franchise needs is some damn innovation, and the franchise would be fresh again. I mean hell it's been five years since the game has had anything meaningful innovation. charizard1605

[QUOTE="carljohnson3456"]Gimmie a break. MW3 broke sells records again. CoD may have reached it's peek, but it sure as hell aint dying. All the franchise needs is some damn innovation, and the franchise would be fresh again. I mean hell it's been five years since the game has had anything meaningful innovation. charizard1605

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="Androvinus"]All they have to do is put some effort into the games (or make some more false promises) and it will rise again. Androvinus

[QUOTE="carljohnson3456"]Gimmie a break. MW3 broke sells records again. CoD may have reached it's peek, but it sure as hell aint dying. All the franchise needs is some damn innovation, and the franchise would be fresh again. I mean hell it's been five years since the game has had anything meaningful innovation. charizard1605

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

BPoole96

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="carljohnson3456"]Gimmie a break. MW3 broke sells records again. CoD may have reached it's peek, but it sure as hell aint dying. All the franchise needs is some damn innovation, and the franchise would be fresh again. I mean hell it's been five years since the game has had anything meaningful innovation. BPoole96

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

I already knew it was dying.

[QUOTE="TecmoGirl"]

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

charizard1605

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

charizard1605

Idk man I just found this

Second Source

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="TecmoGirl"]

I'll believe it's dying when record sales stop beating themselves -- breaking consecutive guinness world records and all that jazz.

Cranler

[QUOTE="charizard1605"]

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

BPoole96

Idk man I just found this

[QUOTE="charizard1605"]

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

I didn't check on this before I post this but I think it broke the record for biggest entertainment debut is history, beating Black Ops' record last year

BPoole96

Idk man I just found this

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

[QUOTE="charizard1605"] It's debut was actually down 4.2% over Black Ops'. Activision was talking only in terms of revenue, and that revenue included money from Call of Duty Elite.

charizard1605

Idk man I just found this

Ah okay, I was just looking for sales records in general

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

[QUOTE="charizard1605"] It's debut was actually down 4.2% over Black Ops'. Activision was talking only in terms of revenue, and that revenue included money from Call of Duty Elite.

charizard1605

Idk man I just found this

I'd bet that Black Ops 2 outsells Black Ops.

[QUOTE="charizard1605"][QUOTE="BPoole96"]

Idk man I just found this

silentnightmere

[QUOTE="silentnightmere"][QUOTE="charizard1605"] Day one records, yes, you're right. Month one records? MW3 was down over Black Ops.charizard1605

ITT: idiotsjg4xchamp