Blizzard’s fortunes turned around in 2014 thanks to the Reaper of Souls redemption story, Hearthstone becoming a smash hit, and most importantly, a new World of Warcraft expansion. Blizzard’s revenue grew from $1.12 billion in 2013 to $1.72 billion in 2014, while operating income (profit) doubled. Still, despite the adoption of long-range planning, the pressure from Activision continued.
