Leading Videogame Publisher Drives Strong
Licensed Business for Skylanders, Call of Duty, Destiny and Guitar
Hero Live
Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), lands at Licensing Expo
2015 with a powerhouse portfolio of some of the most compelling and
immersive entertainment properties in the world. Anchored by
tentpole franchises Skylanders®, Call of Duty®,
Destiny and now Guitar Hero® Live, Activision’s
Licensing & Partnerships business, established in 2012, has
exponentially grown the videogame publisher’s global reach through
a multi-pronged strategic approach. New and returning best-in-class
partners such as McDonald’s, Crayola, MEGA Brands, Power A,
BioWorld and Penguin will continue to drive the company’s
licensing, merchandising and retail business in 2015 and
beyond.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150609005739/en/
“Activision’s award winning and top-selling billion dollar
franchises Skylanders and Call of Duty, along
with Destiny, the biggest new videogame franchise launch in
history, have provided us with meaningful opportunities to create
multiple consumer touchpoints,” said Ashley Maidy, vice president
of global licensing and partnerships at Activision Publishing, Inc.
“The videogame industry has truly become the source of some of the
biggest entertainment launches of our time. These world-class IPs
enable us to build consumer products programs that complement these
massive franchises.”
Activision’s Licensing & Partnerships business is led by a
comprehensive global kids licensing program for Skylanders
and a lifestyle merchandising program tailored for Call of
Duty’s millions of fans worldwide. The company expanded its
reach in 2014 and teamed with Bungie on Destiny to create a
program supported by industry leading partners in key categories
that can reflect the rich universe of the game. In 2015, the team
is kicking off a global program for Guitar Hero Live
focusing on lifestyle and gaming accessories.
The company arrives at Licensing Expo 2015 with exciting
property updates:
Skylanders
Since launching in 2011, the award winning Skylanders
franchise has generated more than $3 billion in retail sales
worldwide, has sold more than 250 million toys worldwide and is in
every key licensing category1. Skylanders has been the #1 kids'
console videogame franchise, including toys and accessories, for
three consecutive years and has also outsold the #1 action figure
line in the U.S. and Europe1.
Launching on Sept. 20 in North America, the recently announced
Skylanders® SuperChargers brings a new toy category to life
-- toy vehicles. For the first time ever, players can mix
high-octane gameplay and combat over land, sea and sky using toy
vehicles that they bring to life in a kids’ action-adventure
videogame.
Skylanders licensing and partnership highlights for 2015
include:
- McDonald’s – Skylanders is in
its third consecutive year with McDonald’s Happy Meal®, which will
appear in more than 40 countries
- Party City – All stores
nationwide now feature a three foot Skylanders section where moms
can come to plan their ultimate Skylanders party
- Fathead® – Life-sized wall
decals from Fathead featuring fan favorites like Eruptor, Spyro,
Kaos and Stealth Elf are available in stores and online now
- NKOK – Two fully functional RC
cars with working headlights will retail for $18 this fall
- Punch Bowl – Online and
on-demand branded party invitations will be available in July
Additional licensees will launch product assortments in 2015
including:
- POWER A (Carrying Cases & Game
Accessories), Rubie’s Costumes (Halloween – new Kaos costume!), Mad
Dog Concepts (Sleepwear), Issac Morris (Sportswear), Mad Engine
(Apparel), Thermos (Lunch Kits & FUNtainers™), FAB (Backpacks
& School Supplies), Penguin (Publishing), Crayola (Color &
Activity), American Greetings (Party Goods & Supplies), Franco
(Bedding), Camelot (Fabric), Aso (Bandages), IDW (comics), AME
(Sleepwear), York Wall Coverings (clings).
Call of Duty
The Call of Duty® phenomenon continues to drive
sales in licensing across categories, including Apparel and
Accessories, Headsets, Publishing and Collectible Construction
Sets. Last year’s Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare was the #1
top‐selling console game of 2014 in the U.S., based on physical
game unit sell-through. And the Call of Duty series was the #1
gaming franchise in the U.S. for the sixth year in a row, based on
revenue. The franchise has generated more than $11 billion in
retail sales and has inspired legions of fans worldwide.
In 2015, Activision will release the much anticipated Call of
Duty®: Black Ops III. This will be the most robust licensing
program for Call of Duty yet with new categories and more partners
in anticipation of the next chapter in the Black Ops universe.
New and returning partners include:
- MEGA Brands – Realized
unprecedented success of the Call of Duty Collectible Construction
Sets, which marked the largest new IP launch in MEGA’s history
- BioWorld – Continues to offer
fans authentic apparel and accessories, globally
- Funko – Delivers line of Pop!
Vinyl figures at GameStop
- BradyGames – Once again allows
fans to learn all the intricate details of the blockbuster game
with the comprehensive strategy guide book
- Fathead – Introduces epic new
wall decals inspired by the game this fall, allowing fans to
further experience the game
- Surreal – Offers Call of
Duty-themed barware, beach towels and throws for the ultimate
fan
- Power A – Outfits gamers with
themed accessories and gifts
- KontrolFreek – Provides Call of
Duty fans the latest controller upgrades and accessories
- Razer – A household name in PC
Gaming brings Call of Duty fans the ultimate PC Gaming Gear on the
market
Destiny
Destiny is the biggest new videogame franchise launch in
history with more than 20 million registered users. The licensing
strategy for Destiny has been focused on partnering with
industry leaders and category experts that can reflect the rich
universe of the game.
From Bungie and Activision, Destiny is the next evolution
in interactive entertainment and an epic adventure unlike anything
players have experienced. A sweeping adventure set within a bold,
new universe, Destiny features an unprecedented combination
of cooperative, competitive, public and personal activities
seamlessly woven into an expansive, persistent online world. The
recently released Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves
furthers the Destiny adventure.
Destiny’s robust merchandising program includes
partnerships with:
- BioWorld and GAME UK –
Brings fans branded Apparel & Accessories
- Insight Editions – Gives players
insight into the Destiny world with Art Books, Journals and Poster
Books
- BradyGames – Allows gamers to
learn details of the game with a comprehensive strategy guide
book
- Trends – Delivers Posters
- World 3A Toys – Creates high-end
collectible action figures
Guitar Hero Live
Launching in fall 2015, Guitar Hero Live introduces two
powerful ways to play: GH Live, a first-person point of view where
players are up on stage as the star of the show in front of live
action reactive crowds; and GHTV, the world’s first playable real
music video network. Following its release in 2005, Guitar Hero
became the quickest console franchise in video game history to
reach one billion dollars in sales in North America and Europe at
that time², and was played by more than 40 million players.
Activision is kicking off a global program for Guitar Hero Live
focusing on lifestyle and gaming accessories at Licensing Expo
2015.
Activision will be located at Booth #R171 at this year's
show. For more information, please visit:
Activision.com/presscenter.
About Activision
Publishing
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision
Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of
interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations
throughout the world. More information about Activision and its
products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com
or by following @Activision.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:
Information in this press release that involves Activision
Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies
regarding the future, including statements about the expected
release dates of Skylanders SuperChargers, Call of Duty: Black Ops
III, Destiny, Guitar Hero Live are forward-looking statements that
are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future
results to differ materially from those expressed in the
forward-looking statements set forth in this release include
unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the
risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual
report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon
information available to Activision Publishing and Activision
Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision
Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update
any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect.
These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of
Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to
risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond
its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from
current expectations.
©2015 Activision Publishing, Inc., SKYLANDERS, SKYLANDERS
SUPERCHARGERS, FREESTYLEGAMES, GUITAR HERO, GH, CALL OF DUTY, CALL
OF DUTY BLACK OPS and ACTIVISION are trademarks of Activision
Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the
properties of their respective owners.
© Bungie, Inc. All rights reserved. Destiny, the Destiny Logo,
Bungie and the Bungie Logo are among the trademarks of Bungie, Inc.
Published and distributed by Activision.
¹According to The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, Activision
Blizzard internal estimates, including toys and accessories
²According to The NPD Group and GfK Chart-Track retail sales
data for North America and EU
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150609005739/en/
PMK•BNCMichele Wyman,
310-854-3264michele.wyman@pmkbnc.comorActivision Publishing,
Inc.Kerstine Johnson, 310-255-2508kjohnson@activision.com
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