Activision: WoW could end up "obsolete"

Activision has given a stark warning on World of Warcraft's future, saying the MMO could end up "obsolete".

The company said in its K-10 report published yesterday (thanks, CVG): "We compete with other forms of interactive entertainment, such as casual games like iPhone applications and other mobile phone games, and games developed for use by consumers on social networking sites.

It further added: "Future increased consumer acceptance and increases in the availability such games or other online games, or technological advances in online game software or the Internet, could result in a decline in platform-based software and negatively impact sales of our console and hand-held products. Newer technological advances in online game software may also render products such as World of Warcraft obsolete."

The mention in the report is on page 22 in the "Risk Factor" section.

World of Warcraft's growth has now stalled, as confirmed by Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime in the publisher's last earnings call.

The leading MMO's userbase stands at 11.5 million, as it has done since late 2008.