Financial Confidence Entrusted to Fall Releases

Publishers and game makers alike are hoping that the spate of much-anticipated (and some might add excessively hyped) games set to hit shelves this fall will create a surge in revenues, especially compared to the low earnings numbers projected for the fiscal period ending last month. “The reality is that the second half of 2004 should witness the largest sale of videogames in any six-month period,” said Gary Cooper, Banc of America Securities analyst, as reported by Reuters yesterday. The analyst called the lineup a “Murderers’ Row” of blockbusters, adding that publishers ready to release their lesser hyped titles might want to wait out the boom first. The list includes a rash of sequels from some of the most popular games to date: Doom III, Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Metroid Prime, and possible others such as Half-Life 2 and Gran Turismo 4. Additionally, LucasArts and Ubisoft are collaborating to release a Star Wars game for the Game Boy Advance this fall; the companies are aligning the game’s release with that of the anticipated Star Wars Trilogy DVD.