Skylanders Giants U.S. Sales Surpass Domestic Holiday Box
Office for Top Kids' Films
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision
Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI),
announced today that, according to data from the NPD Group, the Skylanders
franchise crossed $500 million in retail sales in the U.S.,
inclusive of accessory packs and figures, and reached this milestone
faster than any other kids' gaming property. Additionally, together Skylanders
Giants™ and Skylanders Spyro's Adventure® figures have
outsold the top action figure lines in the toy category in the U.S.,
outselling such popular toy lines as Beyblades, WWE and Star Wars.1
Tree Rex from Skylanders Giants (Photo: Business Wire)
Skylanders Giants, the sequel to Skylanders Spyro's
Adventure — the #1 best-selling kids' game of 20112 —
generated more than $195 million in U.S. sales, inclusive of accessory
packs and figures, in 2012.3 Additionally, Skylanders
Giants eclipsed domestic box office sales for each of the top
holiday kids' feature films including "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Rise
of the Guardians" in 2012.4
"Just a year ago, the concept of bringing toys to life in a virtual
world was an untested play pattern that Activision and Toys For Bob
believed in. Now the category has been established in the market and
embraced by parents and kids everywhere," said Joshua Taub, Vice
President, Product Management, Activision Publishing. "We're humbled by
the continued support and acclaim from parents, kids and critics alike,
but more importantly, it's gratifying to see kids excited about the
adventures that await them both in the digital and physical worlds."
In addition to achieving critical acclaim, Skylanders Giants
was awarded the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, the
National Parenting Publications Awards and the Parent Tested Parent
Approved Seal of Approval, among others. The game was also featured in
coveted "hot holiday gift" lists including the 2012 Toys"R"Us Holiday
Hot Toy List, the Toy Insider's "Hot 20 Toys for the Holidays," and Time
to Play's "Holiday 2012 Most Wanted List." Skylanders Giants
is also nominated in four categories for the coveted Toy Industry
Association "2013 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards" to be announced on
February 9 in New York City, including "E-connected Toy of the Year,"
"Boy Toy of the Year," "Property of the Year," and "Game of The Year."
The franchise is supported by a robust licensing program that includes
more than 120 licensees worldwide in categories including Plush,
Apparel, Home Décor, Bed and Bath, Party Goods, Board Games and Back to
School, among others.
"Even before the concept was fully formed, we were immediately taken
with the charm and magic behind the Skylanders property and
following the highly successful introduction of Skylanders Spyro's
Adventures, we knew that Skylanders Giants would
be a top-seller in 2012," said Richard Barry, Executive Vice President,
Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We believe that Skylanders
is one of the most innovative and exciting toy properties to hit the
market and are thrilled to continue our strong support of the brand."
Skylanders Giants is developed by Toys For Bob, an
Activision studio located in Novato, California. Skylanders Giants
is rated Everyone 10+ by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.skylanders.com.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc.
is a leading developer, publisher and distributor of interactive
entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the
region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can
be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
SKYLANDERS GIANTS is a trademark, and SKYLANDERS SPYRO'S ADVENTURE, and
ACTIVISION are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.
1 According to The NPD Group Data from January through
November 2012
2 According to The NPD Group, Gfk Charttrack, and internal
estimates.
3 According to The NPD Group
4 According to boxofficemojo.com
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130111005087/en/
Activision, Inc.
Kerstine Johnson
Sr.
Director, PR
310-255-2508
kjohnson@activision.com
or
PMK-BNC
Tania
Kingsrud
310-854-4774
tania.kingsrud@pmkbnc.com
Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.
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