The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Microsoft and Take Two Interactive

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Jun 06, 2014, 09:30 ET

CHICAGO, June 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:EA-Free Report), Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq:ATVI-Free Report), Sony (NYSE:SNE-Free Report), Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT-Free Report) and Take Two Interactive (Nasdaq:TTWO-Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:

Video Game Stock Roundup: E3 in Focus

This week, the focus shifts to the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) scheduled to be held at Los Angeles from Jun 10 to Jun 12. Video game developers and publishers like Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:EA-Free Report), Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq:ATVI-Free Report), Sony (NYSE:SNE-Free Report) and Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT-Free Report) are expected to reveal a number of new games at the world's biggest video game show.

Avid gamers will be keenly watching out for EA's next installment of the Battlefield franchise, Battlefield Hardline, Activision's Destiny, Microsoft's Halo 5 and Sony's Uncharted 4. Apart from these, Take Two Interactive's (Nasdaq:TTWO-Free Report) Borderland Pre-sequel and Assassin's Creed: Unity from Ubisoft is also expected to fascinate hard-core gamers.

Apart from reducing Xbox One price, Microsoft is expected to focus on developing new intellectual properties as well as aggressively promote publishing project ID@Xbox at the E3. This will help the company to more effectively combat Sony and Nintendo in both the hardware and software segments.

Sony is rumored to showcase the Project Morpheus virtual reality headset at E3, which is expected to generate significant attention. Nintendo is expected to reveal further details about a new Zelda game for the Wii U. The company is also set to showcase new figurine program at E3, much similar to Activision's Skylanders and Disney's Infinity.

Video Game Market - Top Stories Now

Sony recently announced that it will stop selling PlayStation portable in Japan from this month. The company said that users who want to upgrade to PS Vita will get a $30-$40 discount. The company also recently entered into a partnership with the government-run Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group to make and sell PlayStation consoles and software in China.

Nintendo and Mercedes-Benz recently announced an advertising partnership. Per the agreement, Mario, in an upcoming downloadable content (DLC) pack for the recently released Mario Kart 8, will use a posh Mercedes GLA SUV instead of the go-kart. The DLC will be launched in Japan later this year.

Reportedly, EA has settled with student-athletes who claimed that the video game maker illegally used their likenesses in NCAA Football, Basketball, and March Madness games. The settlement is pending for approval from the U.S. District Court for Northern California.

Warner Bros. Interactive recently announced that the new Batman: Arkham Knight game will be released in 2015 instead of an earlier announced Oct 2014 date. The game joins Sony's The Order: 1886 and Ubisoft's The Division, which have also been delayed till 2015.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

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