Videogame industry looks for second-half comeback
With the once-resilient videogame industry mired in a slump, investors are looking to big-name titles and potential price cuts for game consoles in the second half of the year to help spur a rebound in sales. Major game publishers Activision Blizzard Inc and Electronic Arts Inc will report quarterly results next week, on the heels of dismal June U.S. videogame sales, which registered their biggest drop since 2000.
But the 2009 game release schedule is heavily weighted with big-name titles in the second half of the year, analysts say, in contrast to a strong first half line-up in 2008. That has made year-over-year comparisons particularly ugly. The remainder of the year will see the latest installments in major franchises such as “Left 4 Dead,” “Assassin’s Creed,” “Call of Duty” and “Halo,” which could give sales a much-needed boost.
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