14 DAY TRIAL // Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty is now out and while players are scrambling to get the video game and play it, some interested in the single player story and some ready to get into the multiplayer, observers of the video game market are already thinking about how much of an impact the title might make at retail. Mike Hickey, who is an analyst working with Janco Partners, issued a research note saying that Starcraft II might sell more than 7 million units during the current fiscal year, creating more than 350 million dollars in sales for Activision Blizzard, 171 of which are actual operating profit.
Way back in May another analyst, Doug Creutz, working with the Cowen Group, has estimated that the game will sell just 5 million copies during the current fiscal year. Both the figures are high for video games that are launched during the month of July and will represent a huge hit for Blizzard.
Mike Hickey added that, “However, we could be meaningfully under-appreciating the active player base in Korea. Blizzard Entertainment Korea was rumored at a recent media event to comment that players in Korea have approached 11 million, suggesting an opportunity for performance in excess of our estimates (we have not been able to confirm commentary).” Estimates are saying that about half of all the copies of the original Starcraft sold landed in South Korea, where a lot of players use cyber cafes to enjoy their real time strategy experience.
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty will be instantly familiar to those who played the first game. The three factions are still there and the first chapter of the story will be built around Jim Raynor, the Terran hero. His flagship will serve as a hub for the player, allowing him to recruit mercenaries, research tech and choose the missions he wants to perform.