Guitar Hero Franchise Puts Activision On Top

In response to the recent release of NPD numbers for 2007, Activision highlighted its showing as the number one U.S. console and handheld publisher for the calendar year. Activision says it increased its total market share to 17.7 percent, a 7.2 percent increase over 2006, thanks to strong performance from the Guitar Hero franchise, which NPD numbers showed was the best-selling franchise in 2007. Activision also pointed to NPD numbers that showed that Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock was the number one title across all platforms in both units and dollars. Activision can also lay claim to the number one best-selling title across all platforms for the month of December 2007 with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, while Guitar Hero 3 charted at number three. In her comments alongside the full year's NPD results, NPD's Anita Frazier noted, "One has to recognize the tremendous success of the Guitar Hero franchise. Guitar Hero games sold over $820 million at U.S. retail which is a record for any single franchise in any one year." Said Activision chairman and CEO Robert Kotick, “For the first time in our history, we were the #1 U.S. publisher for the calendar year. We are well on our way to delivering sixteen years of record revenue growth and by far our most profitable year ever.”