Take-Two's Newly Launched Borderlands 3 Becomes an Instant Hit
Take-Two Interactive Software’s TTWO “shooter-looter” franchise Borderlands 3 has struck the right chord with users.
Launched on Sep 13, the latest title generated over 50% more purchases than its predecessor Borderlands 2 within five days of release. Notably, more than 70% of all purchases were digital.
Per the announcement, Borderlands 3 sold over 5 million copies within the first five days, generating above $1 billion in net bookings for the franchise.
Notably, the latest title has become the fastest-selling one in its developer, 2K’s history. The pre-orders received for Borderlands 3 is the highest so far for 2K titles. Additionally, the game achieved the highest-selling title for 2K on PC in a span of five days post its launch.
Further, since its launch on Twitch, Borderlands 3 continues to be in the top five most-watched games. Viewers have watched more than 14 million hours of game-related content, exceeding more than half of the viewership that Borderlands 2 took seven years to achieve.
Borderlands 3 Success to Aid Take Two
Notably, Take Two has been one of the top-performing gaming stocks on a year-to-date basis driven by its portfolio strength. Shares have returned 21.5% year-to-date outperforming the industry’s rally of 18.6%.
Year to Date Performance
The success of Borderlands 3 is expected to further boost Take Two’s footprint amid intensifying competition from the likes of Activision ATVI and Electronic Arts EA, prior to the holiday season.
Notably, EA has a solid lineup of releases, including the upcoming NBA Live 20, Plants vs. Zombies, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Moreover, Activision’s upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a game changer.
Additionally, Activision is set to launch Call of Duty: Mobile in partnership with Tencent TCEHY.
Nevertheless, Borderlands 3’s initial sales figures indicate solid growth prospects. The game introduces a number of unique features. Notably, the new Level Sync System, which lets players of any level play together, is expected to be a game changer.
Moreover, like its predecessor, Borderlands 3 includes four playable vaults namely — Moze, Amara, FL4K, and Zane. Additionally, the world of Borderlands 3 expands beyond Pandora, to hostile deserts, war-torn cityscapes and more.
Solid Slate of Releases: Key Catalyst
Take Two has a strong slate of releases lined up for fiscal 2020 that includes Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey and The Outer Worlds, apart from Borderlands 3.
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey will be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles in December 2019.
Moreover, The Outer Worlds, scheduled for launch on Oct 25, is expected to be one of the largest contributors to second-quarter fiscal 2020 net bookings, which are projected between $860 million and $910 million.
Currently, Take-Two carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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