Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, has defended his decision to sell the company to Microsoft for $69 billion amidst a lawsuit from investors. He claims declining sales for both Activision and the consoles justify the sale, stating that Call of Duty sales have plummeted over 60% compared to previous releases. Kotick argues that his foresight in selling was correct given the current state of the gaming market; however, he has not provided evidence for his sales claims. Notably, video game hardware sales have also faced significant drops, with the U.S. seeing an alarming decrease in sales figures not seen since the mid-90s. Activision Blizzard has announced future changes to the Call of Duty franchise structure in light of these declining trends.

What has Bobby Kotick said about the declining sales of Call of Duty?

Bobby Kotick claimed that Call of Duty sales are down over 60% from the previous year, using this decline to justify the sale to Microsoft. However, he has yet to provide supporting evidence for this claim, and the performance of Black Ops 7 is already indicating struggles compared to its predecessor.

Activision Blizzard has undergone significant changes since its acquisition by Microsoft. The company has committed to altering its release strategy for the Call of Duty franchise, moving away from back-to-back releases within the same sub-brand. This shift signifies an effort to revitalize the franchise amid declining sales and increased competition in the first-person shooter genre, particularly from games like Battlefield. As the gaming landscape evolves, Activision is poised to adapt its strategies and expectations in response to consumer demand and market dynamics.