Beta info. (Pictures on Jace Hall Show)

[Gifted]

Which is why I think its more likely for them to use the beta to produce numbers to present the investors. If they announce the beta to investors they will just look at it like. Okay... You announced something that you should of several months ago.. Why am I giving you my money again?

While I can agree with your previous post, this one I would greatly disagree with. The scope of your conversation regards SC2 alone. You have to remember the call will regard Activision Blizzard. To be quite simple, they have an incredible lineup for 2010 as a whole.

Even if beta isn't announced on this call, there will be plenty of news to report regarding good ventures. This is an update of what's happened so far and what's to come.

[Domi87]

Thats great but at the same time you have a lot of software and hardware development companies that are putting out new products that will kill the competition. If you want an example Google the USB 3.0 and take a look at that. Its going to completely replace fire-wire. If investors have the choice between that a product that will be replacing the competition, and a product like starcraft being developed by a company who hasn't produced an RTS in 5-6 years. Which would they choose? In my opinion I'd rather go with the first option.

Compare activisions earnings from modern warfare 2 to that of a dozen other companies who are in stable markets. I promise your going to see that the billion dollar profit they made is a drop in the bucket in comparison.

Again, each industry has a solid investor base, with constant new investors, big and small. Just because google is doing something cool doesn't mean everyone is going to uproot out of the videogame market and go to google. Then youll have overpriced stocks (like google with its current $542 price). Where theres little investors, thats where theres the most money to be made.

If Activision were a company that hasn't produced anything from 5-6 years of course you don't invest in that. But thats not what the company is, it killed the market with MW2, it led the instrument playing genre in 2009 with DJ Hero, it leads the MMO market with WoW, and stands to regain its dominance in RTS with Starcraft 2.

[DemolitionSquid]

While video games might be a big deal in the future. Right now they are nothing of interest to major investors. Even when comparing them to smaller industries like retail it still isn't anywhere near the same amount of profit.

... how is retail a small industry?

I really think you're off your rocker, mate.

[ArcherofAiur]

Did Blizzard ever lose dominace of the RTS?

[Domi87]

Did Blizzard ever lose dominace of the RTS?

Does the RTS have a super clear front runner today like it did back in the day with wc3 or sc? No. Historically, yes Blizzard has dominated, but currently the RTS market doesn't have a leader thats above all the rest. When Sc2 gets released...well, we all know who the leader will be then.

[Coldasblues]

While I can agree with your previous post, this one I would greatly disagree with. The scope of your conversation regards SC2 alone. You have to remember the call will regard Activision Blizzard. To be quite simple, they have an incredible lineup for 2010 as a whole.

Even if beta isn't announced on this call, there will be plenty of news to report regarding good ventures. This is an update of what's happened so far and what's to come.

Thats true activision blizzard does have a great line up to show their investors. However, it still doesn't change the fact they announcing beta puts things in a negative light. If I as an investor had a company tell me that they would release a product with in a certain amount of time. Then fail to do so, and finally tell me almost a year later that the same product they failed to release is just entering its beta stage. I'm not going to take it as good news.

I'm not saying they will completely abandon their investments with activision blizzard. I do think it would make them second guest their decisions to do so and maybe even turn them away from them in the future.

Also you have to remember that this is a very chaotic time when it comes to investors.

[GGTeMpLaR]

i'm going to be depressed if beta doesn't start friday

[ArcherofAiur]

Does the RTS have a super clear front runner today like it did back in the day with wc3 or sc? No. Historically, yes Blizzard has dominated, but currently the RTS market doesn't have a leader thats above all the rest. When Sc2 gets released...well, we all know who the leader will be then.

C&C4

Hidden Content:

ROOOFFFLLL jk

[Blazur]

i'm going to be depressed if beta doesn't start friday

Think of it this way...at least it's a definitive date to look forward to which is fast approaching. We have the first two videos of the Jace Hall show spanning a week to look forward to in addition to the conference call. There's still a very good chance neither will result in any solid news related to SC2's timeline, and frankly it's good to have that mentality so you don't get disappointed. But having milestones to look forward to still beats obscurity.

[GGTeMpLaR]

"But having milestones to look forward to still beats obscurity. "

debatable, but a good point