Activision Blizzard: World of Warcraft lost 1.3m subs last quarter

Activision Blizzard’s MMO World of Warcraft lost 1.3m subscribers during the first three months of 2013.

The firm revealed the decline in its quarterly financial report, adding that the game still boasts 8m subs and remains the number one subscription-based MMORPG in the world.”

The majority of the drop-off occurred in the East, but there was a sharp decline in the West as well.

"While we do believe further declines are likely, and we expect to have fewer subscribers a year than we do today, World of Warcraft remains one of the most successful franchises in the history of entertainment," said Kotick.

Kotick added that the company plans to release more content, more often, to keep current players engaged as well as make it easier for dormant accounts to connect into the game again.

"We believe in the long-term value of this franchise and will continue to commit substantial resources to World of Warcraft.”