Record Activision Blizzard Sales Drive Vivendi Second-Half Profits

Vivendi, the Paris-based majority shareholder in Activision Blizzard, has posted financial results for the first half of the 2011 fiscal year, noting that increased revenues and earnings before deductions from the World of Warcraft company fueled an overall drive in profits. The French media conglomerate noted that record digital sales of Activision Blizzard's online-enabled franchises -- up more than 20 percent compared to the same half last fiscal year -- helped drive revenues for the company. Vivendi revealed that Activision Blizzard purchased approximately 43 million shares of its common stock for a price of around $479 million. It noted that, as of the end of this fiscal half, Vivendi holds a 63 percent interest in the video games company. As reported earlier in the month, Activision Blizzard beat its internal estimates for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, reporting $335 million in profits on $1.1 billion in sales driven by a growing digital market. Looking to the second half of the 2011 fiscal year, Vivendi noted three key properties that it believes will "especially excite" audiences: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty Elite and Skylanders Spyro's Adventure. Retailer GameStop revealed earlier in the year that pre-orders for the upcoming Modern Warfare 3 are higher than for its predecessor Black Ops, both in the U.S. and in the UK.