Activision Blizzard Inc. ‘s first-quarter sales and profit plunged as demand for its Call of Duty videogame franchise fell.
The videogame company, which in January agreed to be purchased by Microsoft Corp. for $75 billion, posted a 22.3% drop in sales from a year ago, reflecting weaker premium sales for “Call of Duty: Vanguard,” the latest installment in the popular franchise, as well as lower engagement with “Call of Duty: Warzone,” a free-to-play title.
