Another game, another milestone for OC 50er Michael Morhaime and his Irvine video game publisher, Blizzard Entertainment Inc.
The collectible free-to-play card game “Hearthstone” has amassed more than 70 million players since its March 2014 launch in the U.S., a staggering increase that may help it claim the title as the most actively played Blizzard game in the company’s 23-year history.
The game, which features characters from Blizzard’s flagship “World of Warcraft” franchise, has added about 30 million players in about the past year. The growth has helped “Hearthstone” become a big revenue generator for OC’s biggest software maker, despite the free-to-play label.
Players from around the world are throwing down real money to improve performance and gain special card sets.
The game was last estimated to bring in about $40 million per quarter through purchases of the sets and of accessories that boost performance. The analyst forecast was provided in late 2015 when the game had about 30 million active players.
It’s not a far stretch to estimate that the digital card game, now available on Windows and Mac PCs; Windows, iOS and Android tablets; and smartphones, could generate as much as $200 million annually.
Blizzard posted record sales last year of $2.4 billion, up 55% over 2015, with operating income of roughly $1 billion, up 81%.
“Overwatch,” Blizzard’s first new franchise in 18 years, and the sixth WoW expansion set, “World of Warcraft: Legion,” drove the results, but “Hearthstone” played a key role, closing last year with a record number of active monthly users.
Blizzard didn’t disclose exact figures but said active monthly users were up 20% year-over-year. The company reported a total of 41 million monthly active users across a variety of games at the close of the December quarter, according to an annual report filed by Santa Monica parent Activision Blizzard Inc.
Expect “Hearthstone” to get another bump with the recent release of the expansion “Journey to Un’Goro,” which puts players in touch with ancient elements and fierce predators in a prehistoric region preserved in time. The new world adds 135 new cards to the smash hit.
Blizzard ran a special promotion leading up to Journey’s April 6 launch in which players could purchase a special 50-pack card bundle for $50.
In mid-March, the company released the first episode in a short-form web series on YouTube devoted to the latest expansion, starring Danny Pudi of NBC “Community” and “Powerless” sitcom fame.
Strong Out of the Gate
The latest development builds on an already impressive run from two of Blizzard’s newest games.
“Overwatch” took less than a year to become a $1 billion business, shattering company records along the way. The game, released a year ago on PlayStation, Windows and Xbox One—Blizzard’s first launch on the Microsoft Corp. console—ended last year with more than 25 million registered players worldwide, and added another 5 million in the first quarter.
The title, which costs about $40 for a digital version and $60 for a hard copy, reached the 25 million-player milestone faster than any previous Blizzard title, including 2012’s “Diablo III,” which holds the record for the fastest-selling PC game, with 3.5 million copies sold in its first 24 hours.
Both titles, which have amassed over 100 million players combined, are also hits on the esports scene through competitive gaming teams and tournaments around the world.
The first-person, futuristic shooter game is the foundation for this year’s launch of the Overwatch League, which could rival the largest esports competitions in the world.
The league, similar to professional sports, will pit cities against each other in a standardized schedule. Owners will have guaranteed slots and rights to ensure stability and transparency for investment, according to Activision.
