Will Candy Crush Soda Saga on Facebook Generate Higher Revenues?

King Digital Entertainment PLC (NYSE: KING) announced on Monday that its Candy Crush Soda Saga has launched worldwide on Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB). This is the sister title to King’s hit game Candy Crush Saga. The press release indicated that Candy Crush Soda Saga is set to launch on mobile in the coming weeks.

The big question is how much this will generate in revenues for King (and for Facebook). With 2014 mostly over, the real question is how it will impact revenue in 2015 — assuming it maintains traction after the launch. Thomson Reuters currently has expectations for King Digital of $2.21 billion in 2014 revenues and $2.13 billion in 2015 revenues.

Monday’s news has generated very little interest from investors. After closing at $11.80 on Friday, the shares were indicated up 0.6% at $11.87 in early indications. King’s post-IPO range has been $10.68 to $23.48. More data from the release is as follows …

Candy Crush Soda Saga was called the next iteration in the Candy Crush franchise, set in the world of the Candy Kingdom. Fans of the original hit can now switch and match their way through new dimensions of gameplay with exciting new graphics and features including game modes, candy combinations, gameplay mechanics and more.

Designed to be played alongside the original game, this next installment introduces fun new features to players who love the gameplay and story of the first title, and are looking for fresh challenges.

Candy Crush Soda Saga features the same Saga framework used in the original, where players progress through new levels and episodes on the Saga map and can experience various social layers when connected via Facebook.

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Sebastian Knutsson, chief creative officer at King, said:

We’re excited to announce that the next installment in the Candy Crush franchise is now live on Facebook. Our long-term strategy is to develop global game franchises which are loved by millions of players around the world. Candy Crush Soda Saga offers fans new gameplay features and challenges to delight in, and has been designed to complement the original title, which we believe players will also continue to enjoy.