In advance of Take-Two's first quarter 2010 fiscal results (expected today), Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said that BioShock 2 "appears to be tracking in line with BioShock (3 million units)." Bhatia noted that this "may be disappointing to those looking for growth in the franchise. However, we believe this is still a strong franchise with potential for future sequels."
2K Games recently announced an "aggressive" DLC plan to support BioShock 2, for both multiplayer and single-player gameplay. The game also topped the charts across the pond in the U.K.
As for Take-Two, Bhatia said that Red Dead Redemption (4/27), MLB 2K10 (3/2) and Mafia II (5/5) are three other key titles to watch in the next 60 to 90 days. He's maintaining a "Buy" rating on Take-Two's stock because of his belief that "the video game space is likely to see consolidation and TTWO is an attractive acquisition candidate given its library of at least 12 multi-million unit sellers each. We value the company’s GTA franchise alone at $6 to $7 a share, which provides downside protection to the stock, in our opinion."
Also see our interview with Jordan Thomas: BioShock 2's Creative Director On The 'Balancing Act' of Making a Sequel
1 Comments
March 3, 2010
If BioShock 2 does just as well as the original, then I'm sure Take-Two will be happy. Remember, this is the sequel that no one thought was necessary at first, so achieving a fair amount of critical acclaim (though not as much as the original) with an equal amount of sales sounds like a win, especially if they get some paid DLC in down the line.