Activision soars after gamers cheer new battle royale 'Call of Duty,' calling it a Fortnite 'killer'

Benchmark reiterates its buy rating for Activision Blizzard shares, predicting "Call of Duty" in battle-royale mode will thrive against "Fortnite." Activision's PS4 beta launched yesterday, greatly exceeding expectations. Buzz from streamers was "sensational, in our view,” analyst Mike Hickey says. "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” is slated for release on Oct. 12.