Electronic Arts usually puts up a strong fight for first-person shooter fans through its Battlefield franchise. With Advanced Warfare, this year's Call of Duty installment, the company has a near-lock on first place in the video game sales charts.Īfter all, the competitive field is weaker this year. Still, that 'disappointing' Ghosts title finished 2013 as the second-most popular video game, behind only Take-Two Interactive's epic Grand Theft Auto V.īut don't expect Activision to get elbowed off the top spot of the podium again in 2014.

It's also possible that gamers were tiring of the franchise as it entered its second decade. Activision executives blamed the transition to next-generation consoles for that weakness.

Since first launching in 2003, Call of Duty has generated close to $10 billion in revenue, which makes it one of the most successful entertainment brands of all time.ĭon't call it a comeback The 2013 installment, Ghosts, was a step back for the franchise as sales slipped from the prior year.

By publisher Activision Blizzard's ( NASDAQ:ATVI) count, more than 100 million people have played a CoD-branded title, collectively spending 25 billion hours in the game.

Demitri covers consumer goods and media companies for, as well as broader moves in the economy.įollow of Duty isn't a franchise so much as a phenomenon.