Activision digital revenues jump 37 percent in two years

The digital transition is going pretty well at Activision-Blizzard.

The video game publisher, in an Analyst Day presentation, notes that its digital revenue over the past 12 months hit $1.7 billion, topping last year's $1.4 billion and 2009's $1.2 billion. That's a 37 percent increase in just 24 months.

Credit a lot of that rise to the company's hit "Call of Duty" franchise, which has set entertainment industry sales records for the past two years. The last installment of the game sold 23 million copies in nine months.

Those users are sticking with the game, too. Activision noted that it has sold 18 million map packs for the game (digitally purchased add-ons for the game). Priced at $15 each, that works out to additional revenue of $270 million – more than most games make in their complete run at retail.

Expect those numbers to keep growing as well, as this year's installment of "Call of Duty" – "Modern Warfare 3" – is setting new pre-order records. And waiting in the wings is Blizzard Entertainment's "Diablo III," which will further boost digital income in 2012.