Analyst Predicts Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Release Timeline
Activision Blizzard is among one of the most successful gaming companies in the entire world, not to mention one of the largest. A consistent output of top-selling titles has resulted in the company outperforming their profit goals on a pretty regular basis. However, that surplus of funds may be on the decline soon if analyst firm Cowen & Company is to be believed. The group has predicted that Activision Blizzard stock may see a dip sometime in 2018, and a possible Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 release may not be enough to stop it.
In a note to investors, Cowen & Company has attributed Activision’s potential drop in stock to an added emphasis on eSports, specifically mentioning the company’s rollout of Overwatch League. Cowen clarified by stating expectations for the League’s 2018 profits are much “too high,” and reaching an industry growth of 12-13 percent is “highly unlikely.” To emphasize this conclusion, Cowen downgraded the company’s stock rating from “Outperform” to a lower score, a first in over nine years.
While this news may seem troubling for the company, Cowen was quick to point out that there’s no way to completely predict what will happen. The group sees the impressive investment behind Overwatch League’s first season as “a learning experience,” that could produce stronger success as the eSport stabilizes. If all else fails, Cowen thinks that a Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 release in 2018 would be relatively unaffected, predicting an unsurprising success for the franchise game. It’s unclear if either of these events will come to pass, but in the meantime we will see Call of Duty: WWII hit PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 3.
Will Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 release in 2018, or should developers just start making something new? What do you think of the lack of faith in Overwatch League? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment new 24 hours a day! For more Call of Duty news from recent weeks, check out the following stories below:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
