Tag Archives: Arvind Bhatia

Bungie’s new ten-year deal to have its new IP published by Activision seems to be a good enough reason to replace Infinity Ward, according to one analyst.

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EA are looking to get 2 million subscribers when Star: Wars: The Old Republic releases next year, according to one analyst.

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PlayStation 3 will see “the best YoY growth in January” when the NPD results come out next week, according to one analyst.

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EA’s forecast for FY10 revealed this week has been met with disappointment from investors, according to industry and investment analysts who feel that something “drastic” has to happen to turn things around for EA.

This lack of investor confidence has put CEO John Riccitiello in an unenviable position, causing Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey to state that Riccitiello’s “inability to execute on his performance objectives this year could put him at risk”.

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Analyst David Cole of DFC Intelligence has told Industry Gamers that it won’t be long before Microsoft released a slimmer version of Xbox 360.

“I think it is a question of when not if,” he told the site. “However, the when part is a big uncertainty … rumors have been going on for a long time. I think people were asking me the same question last year at this time. As cost efficiencies allow smaller and more reliable is always a good thing. However, you also have something like Project Natal which could also tie in with hardware redesigns.

“There are a lot of questions Microsoft must weigh internally and there are always going to arguments on both sides of the fence around timing. So I don’t know, but in our DFC forecasts we anticipated a major redesign in 2010….so I guess that was our bet.”

While the other three analysts the site spoke with, Tom Greenwald of Signal Hill, Arvind Bhatia from Sterne Agee and Broadpoint AmTech’s Ben Schachter, do not agree with him, each do foresee a new SKU redesigned with Project Natal for 2010.

More through the link.

Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia has predicted that Activision will delay the release of Starcraft 2 into 2010 instead of shipping it in October 2009.

Bhatia expects the game to sell around three million copies with a 2010 release being a positive thing for the company, despite the missing the holiday shopping season.

Activision had no comment regarding a Stracraft date, however, it was announced yesterday that Singularity would be pushed into 2010 to make way for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

More over on TeamLiquid.

Analyst Arvind Bhatia of Sterne Agee has said in a research note composed after meeting with four GameStop executives, that the game retailer does not see digital distribution becoming a viable market until 2014.

The company says it has “conducted the most thorough study to date” on the subject, and feels that an “addressable market” for digital downloads “will not exist until 2014.”

GameStop management also expects that only 25 percent of consumers, even by 2014, will have access to the technology required to purchase and download digital titles and that it could cost them $100 a month.

Bhatia never said what the reason for this cost would be, but one can assume it applies to subscription fees, broadband service, and possibly PC upgrades.

The study also revealed that due to storage space requirements and customers only wanting to pay $39 per title at most, it would give publishers less of an incentive to use such a service “as some in the industry might think”.

More through Gamasutra.

Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said in a note yesterday that chatter’s pointing to a summer price cut for PS3.

“Industry sources indicate Sony is planning a $100 price cut on the PS3 in mid-August, just prior the launch of Madden (8/18) and the start of the back to school shopping season. This will naturally be a positive for the industry,” she said.

Hey, everyone! Gamescom’s on in mid-August!

Thanks, Industrygamers.

Stern Agee’s Arvind Bhatia has predicted that WoW subs amounted to earnings per share of about 30 cents out of a total 60 cents, or around $400 million total, in Activision Blizzard’s fiscal year ended December.

The MMO currently has 11.5 million subscribers, the publisher has said.

Bhatia lowered his fiscal 2009 Activision estimates from $5.2 billion to $4.9 billion in revenues yesterday, and dropped earnings per share estimates from 65 cents to 60 cents.

More on Edge.

Speaking to Edge, Arvind Bhatia at Stern Agee has predicted that WAR numbers will settle at the 250-300,000 mark once the initial rush of free months’ play is over.

“Over time, subscribers will drop off and level off at 250,000- 300,000,” he said.

“Based on our estimates for sell through, it would require about 20 percent to 25 percent of the purchasers to remain long term subscribers – which we believe is achievable.”

More than 1.5 million copies of the game were shipped to retail last week.

More through the link.