*By Zane Bhansali*
Following Epic Games' incredible $3 billion profit gain in 2018, many game developers are eager to emulate its success. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter predicts that Activision Blizzard will follow in Epic's footsteps by changing two of its biggest titles to a free-to-play model.
According to Pachter, Overwatch and Call of Duty may soon switch to the free-to-play model in order to meet investors' expectations.
"The real reason I think this is going to happen," says Pachter, "is that Bobby Kotick, who's the CEO of Activision, has convinced 18 members of the billionaire boys' club to buy franchises in the Overwatch League."
According to Pachter, Activision Blizzard's ($ATVI) only viable route to making back the $18 million to $24 million purchasing fees for each team slot is through advertising ー a model better suited by having more eyes on the game. To Pachter, that means more players who can understand Overwatch's frenetic pace.
"Overwatch, if you play, you get it," says Pachter. "If you don't play, it's incomprehensible. The only way you're going to ever drive more eyeballs is to make it free. The only way these 18 billionaires are going to get their investment back is if the audience expands dramatically."
Blizzard's Overwatch League has faced concerns about viewership numbers after a strong start. According to a [report from The Esports Observer](https://esportsobserver.com/10most-watched-twitch2018/), the Overwatch League Twitch channel ranked fourth in hours watched in 2018 with 74.6 million hours watched. Rival developer Riot Games logged 99.31 million hours on its own channel, while breakout Fortnite streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins eclipsed both, with 226.85 million hours.
Buffalo's NFL team is playing its first home game since 1996, and in order to make it work amid a pandemic, the Bills are partnering with BioReference Laboratories in a pilot testing program.
U.S. Soccer and the women’s national team have settled the players’ legal claim over inequitable working conditions, putting to rest a part of the team’s gender discrimination lawsuit.
Jim Weber, CEO of Brooks Running a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, talks to Cheddar about the big growth in sales as more people took up running amid the pandemic.
Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, November 25, 2020:
Kim Ng, who started her Major League Baseball career as an intern, has become the majors' highest-ranking woman and Asian American in baseball operations.
Justin Turner was removed from Los Angeles’ 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the World Series after registering Major League Baseball’s first positive coronavirus test in 59 days.
Bill Reiter, NBA insider for CBS Sports, joined Cheddar to talk about the trend of big-time athletes like LeBron James entering the big-time business world.
FanDuel CMO, Mike Raffensperger, joined Cheddar to discuss fantasy sports amid the coronavirus pandemic. Raffensperger also discuss how the company is handling bets, particularly in the NFL as players contract the virus.
The Tennessee Titans find themselves back in a waiting mode hoping the NFL allows them back inside their headquarters by Tuesday with their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers postponed until later this season by the league’s first COVID-19 outbreak.
The Tennessee Titans have suspended in-person activities through Friday after the NFL says three Titans players and five other personnel tested positive for the coronavirus.
