Latest news with #WyattSwanson
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EA forecasts quarterly bookings below expectations on cautious gamer spending
By Zaheer Kachwala (Reuters) -Electronic Arts forecast second-quarter net bookings below Wall Street expectations on Tuesday, pressured by uncertain consumer spending on its core sports portfolio amid a challenging economic environment. With shifting U.S. trade policies threatening to push inflation higher, gamers have become more cautious with discretionary spending. EA said the bookings forecast includes a four percentage point year-over-year headwind, due to changes in recognizing returns from the Ultimate Edition of "FC 26", which will be booked in the third quarter. Earlier this month, EA launched "College Football 26", hoping to build on the success of last year's edition, which became one of the best-selling titles of 2024. However, analysts warned that growth comparisons for "College Football 26" may be challenging, given the breakout success of its predecessor, which revived the franchise after a more than 10-year hiatus. The company said it expects a more "normalized curve" for College Football sales, partially offset by the launch of "Madden NFL 26". Its shares were up more than 1% in extended trading. EA last week unveiled the first trailer for "Battlefield 6", placing a big bet on the title to reinvigorate the franchise after the previous installment fell short of fan expectations. "With Battlefield competing in the shooter category this year after not releasing a title for four years, we think Battlefield stands to benefit more than Call of Duty does in the back-half of 2025," D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Wyatt Swanson said. Battlefield competes with Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty" franchise, which has long-been the dominant player in the first-person shooter genre. "Battlefield 6" is set to launch in EA's current fiscal year with analysts expecting the game to sell millions of copies. EA forecast second-quarter bookings of between $1.80 billion and $1.90 billion, below analysts' expectations of $2.01 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. For the first quarter, EA reported bookings of $1.30 billion beating estimates of $1.29 billion. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Take-Two delays ‘GTA VI' to May 2026, extending wait for gaming's most anticipated title
Take-Two Interactive on Friday pushed the release of 'Grand Theft Auto VI' to May 26, 2026, extending the wait for the most hotly anticipated title in video-gaming history and sending its shares tumbling 8% in early trading. The title, developed by Rockstar Games, was previously slated for a fall 2025 launch. The franchise is the crown jewel in Take-Two's portfolio, accounting for a significant share of revenue and player engagement, and expectations for the upcoming title have been baked into Wall Street forecasts for months. Fans have been waiting for the game for over a decade and analysts expect it to be an instant hit. The previous entry, 'Grand Theft Auto V', released in 2013 and has sold over 200 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games ever. 'We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking blockbuster entertainment experience,' Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. The postponement now pushes 'GTA VI' out of Take-Two's fiscal 2026 release window and into 2027, which will likely bring down booking expectations for the next fiscal year. The company reiterated its expectations for sequential increases in net bookings for fiscal 2026 and 2027. Investors await more details when Take-Two reports its fourth-quarter earnings on May 15. Despite the delay, Take-Two has several titles lined up for the next fiscal year, including 'Borderlands 4' and 'Mafia: The Old Country,' which are also expected to be big launches. 'Given that Take-Two reiterated expectations of record level net bookings in both FY'26 and FY'27, we think this alleviates some of the potential concerns around sales cannibalization in FY'26,' D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Wyatt Swanson said. Rockstar Games unveiled the first trailer for 'GTA VI' in December 2023, confirming the game's return to Vice City, a fictional take on Miami, and introducing Lucia, the franchise's first female lead. The teaser hinted at a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo and drew more than 100 million views within 24 hours. The response to the delay was mixed on social media. Some users complained about waiting longer while others welcomed the additional polish.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Grand Theft Auto VI delayed until 2026, extending wait for highly anticipated game
Take-Two Interactive on Friday pushed the release of Grand Theft Auto VI to May 26, 2026, extending the wait for one of the most hotly anticipated titles in video-gaming history and sending its shares tumbling nine per cent in pre-market trading. The title, developed by Rockstar Games, was previously slated for a fall 2025 launch. The franchise is the crown jewel in Take-Two's portfolio, accounting for a significant share of revenue and player engagement, and expectations for the upcoming title have been baked into Wall Street forecasts for months. The game is expected to be an instant hit, with billions of dollars in sales each year, according to several analysts. The previous entry, Grand Theft Auto V, released in 2013, has sold more than 200 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time. "We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking blockbuster entertainment experience," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. WATCH | Nintendo's Switch 2 will pricier. Will buyers still want it?: Nintendo's Switch 2 promises bigger, better — and pricier 30 days ago Duration 1:57 The delay now pushes the game out of Take-Two's fiscal 2026 release window and into 2027, which will likely bring down booking expectations for the next fiscal year. The company also reiterated its expectations for sequential increases in net bookings for fiscal 2026 and 2027. Despite the postponement, Take-Two has a number of titles lined up for the next fiscal year, including Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country, which are expected to be big launches in their own right. "Given that Take-Two reiterated expectations of record level net bookings in both FY [financial year] '26 and FY '27, we think this alleviates some of the potential concerns around sales cannibalization in FY '26," D.A. Davidson & Co. analyst Wyatt Swanson said. Rockstar Games unveiled the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI in December 2023, set to Tom Petty's Love Is a Long Road. The teaser confirmed the game's return to Vice City, a fictional take on Miami, and introduced Lucia, the franchise's first female lead. It hinted at a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo and drew more than 100 million views within 24 hours. The game was also expected to be a major driver of overall video game industry growth this year after the market underwent a downturn following pandemic highs. The delay also comes amid a period of economic uncertainty in the industry as sweeping U.S. tariffs have led to a surge in gaming console prices and a pullback in consumer spending, denting sales prospects for many game publishers.
Irish Independent
02-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Hotly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI release delayed until next year
The title, developed by Rockstar Games, was previously slated for a fall 2025 launch. The franchise is the crown jewel in Take-Two's portfolio, accounting for a significant share of revenue and player engagement, and expectations for the upcoming title have been baked into Wall Street forecasts for months. Fans have been waiting for the game for over a decade and analysts expect it to be an instant hit. The previous entry, "Grand Theft Auto V", released in 2013 and has sold over 200 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games ever. "We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking blockbuster entertainment experience," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. The postponement now pushes "GTA VI" out of Take-Two's fiscal 2026 release window and into 2027, which will likely bring down booking expectations for the next fiscal year. The company reiterated its expectations for sequential increases in net bookings for fiscal 2026 and 2027. Investors await more details when Take-Two reports its fourth-quarter earnings on May 15. Despite the delay, Take-Two has several titles lined up for the next fiscal year, including "Borderlands 4" and "Mafia: The Old Country," which are also expected to be big launches. "Given that Take-Two reiterated expectations of record level net bookings in both FY'26 and FY'27, we think this alleviates some of the potential concerns around sales cannibalization in FY'26," D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Wyatt Swanson said. Rockstar Games unveiled the first trailer for "GTA VI" in December 2023, confirming the game's return to Vice City, a fictional take on Miami, and introducing Lucia, the franchise's first female lead. The teaser hinted at a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo and drew more than 100 million views within 24 hours. The response to the delay was mixed on social media. Some users complained about waiting longer while others welcomed the additional polish. The move will also impact the wider industry as "GTA VI" was expected to be a major catalyst for sector growth at a time when U.S. tariffs have driven up gaming console prices and sparked a pullback in consumer spending.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Grand Theft Auto VI' release delayed to 2026, sending shares tumbling
Take-Two Interactive on Friday pushed the release of 'Grand Theft Auto VI' to May 26, 2026, extending the wait for the most hotly anticipated title in video-gaming history and sending its shares tumbling 8%. The title, developed by Rockstar Games, was previously slated for a fall 2025 launch. The franchise is the crown jewel in Take-Two's portfolio, accounting for a significant share of revenue and player engagement, and expectations for the upcoming title have been baked into Wall Street forecasts for months. Advertisement 3 Fans have been waiting for the game for over a decade and analysts expect it to be an instant hit. Above, a scene from a trailer of 'Grand Theft Auto VI.' Getty Images Fans have been waiting for the game for over a decade and analysts expect it to be an instant hit. The previous entry, 'Grand Theft Auto V,' released in 2013 and has sold over 200 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games ever. 'We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking blockbuster entertainment experience,' Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. Advertisement Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. The postponement now pushes 'GTA VI' out of Take-Two's fiscal 2026 release window and into 2027, which will likely bring down booking expectations for the next fiscal year. The company reiterated its expectations for sequential increases in net bookings for fiscal 2026 and 2027. Advertisement Investors await more details when Take-Two reports its fourth-quarter earnings on May 15. 3 Delays have become commonplace in modern game development as studios grapple with rising production costs and growing pressure from players to deliver polished experiences at launch. AP Despite the delay, Take-Two has several titles lined up for the next fiscal year, including 'Borderlands 4' and 'Mafia: The Old Country,' which are also expected to be big launches. 'Given that Take-Two reiterated expectations of record level net bookings in both FY'26 and FY'27, we think this alleviates some of the potential concerns around sales cannibalization in FY'26,' D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Wyatt Swanson said. Advertisement Rockstar Games unveiled the first trailer for 'GTA VI' in December 2023, confirming the game's return to Vice City, a fictional take on Miami, and introducing Lucia, the franchise's first female lead. The teaser hinted at a modern-day Bonnie-and-Clyde duo and drew more than 100 million views within 24 hours. 3 The franchise is the crown jewel in Take-Two's portfolio, accounting for a significant share of revenue and player engagement. REUTERS The response to the delay was mixed on social media. Some users complained about waiting longer while others welcomed the additional polish. The move will also impact the wider industry as 'GTA VI' was expected to be a major catalyst for sector growth at a time when US tariffs have driven up gaming console prices and sparked a pullback in consumer spending.
