Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[NBA 2K13 slotted for October 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/nba-2k13-slotted-for-october-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/nba-2k13-slotted-for-october-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/nba-2k13-slotted-for-october-2/#comments ImageNBA 2K13 is set to launch on October 2 for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP and PC, Take-Two Interactive announced today. This is in line with the October precedence set by previous NBA 2K titles. Developer 2K Sports has yet to reveal any details about the game, but our best guess is that it will feature an orange ball and some tall dudes.

2K13's direct predecessor, NBA 2K12, shipped 5 million units, Take-Two said.

JoystiqNBA 2K13 slotted for October 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2012 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-Sportsfinancialsfy-2012microsoftNBA-2K13nintendopcplaystationps3pspsonyTake-TwowiixboxTue, 22 May 2012 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Max Payne 3 ships 3 million units, PC launch pushed worldwide June 1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/max-payne-3-ships-3-million-units-pc-launch-pushed-worldwide-ju/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/max-payne-3-ships-3-million-units-pc-launch-pushed-worldwide-ju/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/max-payne-3-ships-3-million-units-pc-launch-pushed-worldwide-ju/#comments ImageMax Payne 3 has shipped 3 million units since hitting shelves last week, publisher Take-Two Interactive revealed in its FY 2012 financial report.

Take-Two also announced Max Payne 3 is now scheduled with an international PC release date of June 1. Rockstar initially planned to launch Max Payne 3 for North American PCs on Tuesday, May 29, but has pushed that back to meet the standard European launch day of Friday that week. All's fair in love and gritty, noir-style war.

JoystiqMax Payne 3 ships 3 million units, PC launch pushed worldwide June 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2012 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsfy-2012Max-Payne-3microsoftpcplaystationps3RockStarTake-TwoxboxTue, 22 May 2012 16:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft profits in 2012, 'core gamers' drive rise in sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/ubisoft-profits-in-2012-core-gamers-drive-rise-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/ubisoft-profits-in-2012-core-gamers-drive-rise-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/ubisoft-profits-in-2012-core-gamers-drive-rise-in-sales/#comments ImageUbisoft ended the 2012 financial year on the up, reporting a gross profit of €718 million ($917 million) and sales up 2.1 percent to €1 billion ($1.4 billion) year-over-year, according to its financial results for 2011-2012.

Ubisoft ended fiscal 2011-12 with net income of €37.3 million ($47.6 million), up from a net loss of €52.1 million ($66.5 million) in the 2011 fiscal year.

Sales from "core gamers" in Assassin's Creed Revelations, Rayman Origins, Driver San Francisco and free-to-play title The Settlers Online generated €578 million ($738.1 million) in revenue, Ubisoft reported. Casual games brought in €483 million ($616.8 million) in revenue, mainly from Just Dance, Rocksmith and free-to-play title Howrse.

Core and casual titles contributed to a 110.8 percent jump in online and digital sales, bringing that figure to €80 million ($102.1 million), Ubisoft reported.

Ubisoft's net cash position is down from €99.2 million ($126.6 million) in 2011 to €84.6 million ($108 million) in 2012, while current operating income rose 90 percent to €56 million ($71.5 million) year-over-year.

JoystiqUbisoft profits in 2012, 'core gamers' drive rise in sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsfy-2012kinectmicrosoftmovenintendopcplaystationps3UbisoftwiixboxTue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix sees 6 billion yen profit in fiscal 2012 thanks to Deus Ex, FFXIII-2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/square-enix-sees-6-billion-yen-profit-in-fiscal-2012-thanks-to-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/square-enix-sees-6-billion-yen-profit-in-fiscal-2012-thanks-to-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/square-enix-sees-6-billion-yen-profit-in-fiscal-2012-thanks-to-d/#comments Square Enix's financial results for fiscal 2012 have been posted, and thanks to the releases of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Final Fantasy XIII-2, the developer has ended the year in the black, to the tune of a ¥6.06 billion (or $75.9 million) profit.

Total income from sales for the fiscal year, which for Square Enix ran from April 2011 through March 2012, totaled up to ¥127.89 billion ($1.6 billion) - a 2.1 percent year-over-year increase. After subtracting taxes and operating costs, the company was left with over ¥6 billion in profit, which must be welcome news for stockholders still feeling the sting from Square Enix's ¥12.04 billion ($150.86 million) loss in fiscal 2011.

"In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, we continued our efforts aimed at increasing profitability, including establishing best practices for the content in said growth areas, improving quality of our major online game, and strengthening our global structure," said Square Enix president Yoichi Wada in a statement accompanying the financial report. "We are accelerating the reformation to generate a substantial earnings improvement in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 and beyond."

JoystiqSquare Enix sees 6 billion yen profit in fiscal 2012 thanks to Deus Ex, FFXIII-2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsfiscal-2012iosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3Square-EnixxboxMon, 14 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's fiscal 2012 results: $820 million loss due to floods, earthquakes and exchange rates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/sonys-fiscal-2012-results-820-million-loss-due-to-floods-ear/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/sonys-fiscal-2012-results-820-million-loss-due-to-floods-ear/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/sonys-fiscal-2012-results-820-million-loss-due-to-floods-ear/#comments ImageSony's financial results for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2012 are in, with the Japanese giant reporting year-over-year losses in revenue and operating losses that it attributes to "the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange rates, the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the floods in Thailand, and deterioration in market conditions in developed countries."

Sony's fiscal 2012 ran from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012, with the company reporting net revenue of ¥6.49 trillion ($79.1 billion), down 9.6 percent year-over-year from the ¥7.18 trillion (approx. $89 billion) reported at the end of fiscal 2010. After expenses, Sony reports an operating loss of ¥67.3 billion ($820 million), which is actually a smaller loss than that reported at the end of fiscal 2011 (¥199.8 billion/approx $2 billion).

Year-over-year sales decreases were primarily due to Sony's Consumer Products & Services (CPS) and Professional, Device & Solutions (PDS) divisions, with CPS sales down 18.5 percent at ¥3.13 trillion ($38.2 billion) in 2012 vs. ¥3.84 trillion (approx. $48 billion) in 2011, resulting in an operating loss of ¥229.8 billion ($2.8 billion) - more than a 2,000 percent decrease from 2011's operating income of ¥10.8 billion (approx. $135 million). CPS encompasses Sony's consumer electronics sectors, including LCD TVs, PCs, photography solutions and, of course, gaming.

Sony partially attributes CPS' decline in sales to "lower sales of PlayStation(R)3 hardware due to a strategic price reduction and lower sales of PlayStation(R)2 due to platform migration," among other reasons like deteriorating conditions in North American and European TV markets.

JoystiqSony's fiscal 2012 results: $820 million loss due to floods, earthquakes and exchange rates originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsfiscal-2012moveplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonyvitaThu, 10 May 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco Bandai has solid fiscal year thanks to Dark Souls, arcade sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/namco-bandai-has-solid-fiscal-year-thanks-to-dark-souls-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/namco-bandai-has-solid-fiscal-year-thanks-to-dark-souls-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/namco-bandai-has-solid-fiscal-year-thanks-to-dark-souls-arcade/#comments ImageNamco Bandai saw a net income of 1.9 billion yen ($24 million) in its fiscal year 2012, with help from strong US sales of Dark Souls and Ace Combat Assault Horizon. Dark Souls sold 1.19 million units across the US and Europe, while Ace Combat Assault Horizon sold 1.07 million units in Japan, the US and Europe.

Across all platforms, Namco sold 23.3 million software units, led by 8.5 million for PS3, 4.2 million for PSP and 3.2 million for Xbox 360. Revenue from Namco's mobile sector increased, although number of paid subscribers dropped from 3.34 million to 2.15 million year-over-year. Sales of Namco's arcade game machines grew from 56 billion yen ($701.3 million) in FY 2011 to 73.4 billion yen ($919.2 million) in FY 2012.

JoystiqNamco Bandai has solid fiscal year thanks to Dark Souls, arcade sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ace-combat-assault-horizondark-soulsfinancialsfy-2012microsoftmobileNamco-Bandaipcplaystationproject-darkps3pspsonyxboxWed, 09 May 2012 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA 2012 financials: Q4 revenue and income up year-over-year, 2012 revenue up, income down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/ea-2012-financials-q4-revenue-and-income-up-year-over-year-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/ea-2012-financials-q4-revenue-and-income-up-year-over-year-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/ea-2012-financials-q4-revenue-and-income-up-year-over-year-201/#comments Publishing giant Electronic Arts has issued its financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2012 and fiscal 2012 as a whole and, wouldn't you know it, a year with a new Mass Effect game results in revenue totals that are much higher than years without Mass Effect games.

Looking at just the fourth quarter of 2012, EA's total net revenue stacked up at $1.36 billion, a 24 percent increase over the $1.09 billion reported at the end of this same period last year. Net revenue generated from digital sales nearly doubled year-over-year, $419 million in Q4 2012 as opposed to $211 million in Q4 2011 - a 98 percent increase.

Packaged goods still made up the majority of the publisher's revenue, however, at $949 million, up from $879 in Q4 2011. Net income for the period was also up year-over-year, $400 million for the period ending on March 31, 2012 as compared with $151 million for the same period in 2011. Naturally, EA contributes its successful fourth quarter to the release of Mass Effect 3 and the continued popularity of FIFA 12.

Fiscal 2012 as a whole presents a slightly different story. While net revenue was up 15 percent year-over-year ($4.14 billion in fiscal 2012 vs. $3.58 billion in fiscal 2011), net income fell 263 percent, from $276 million in fiscal 2011 to just $76 million in fiscal 2012.

Looking forward to fiscal 2013, EA expects an approximate net revenue of $4.07 billion, $950 million of which it expects to earn during the first fiscal quarter of 2013, which ends on June 30, 2012.

JoystiqEA 2012 financials: Q4 revenue and income up year-over-year, 2012 revenue up, income down originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-ArtsFifa-12financialsFiscal-2012fiscal-2013Mass-EffectMass-Effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3Q1-2013Q4-2012xboxMon, 07 May 2012 17:05:00 EST<![CDATA[The Angry Birds earned Rovio quite a bit of chicken scratch in 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-angry-birds-earned-rovio-quite-a-bit-of-chicken-scratch-in-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-angry-birds-earned-rovio-quite-a-bit-of-chicken-scratch-in-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-angry-birds-earned-rovio-quite-a-bit-of-chicken-scratch-in-2/#comments ImageThe Angry Birds are quite a catch, it seems. Franchise creator Rovio announced this morning that earnings in 2011 topped $100 million, which it owes solely to sales of the Angry Birds franchise. "The heavy investments made in 2011 to all business areas will be seen in future products," Rovio CEO Mikael Hed noted in the press release. "To ensure continuous success we need to be creative and stay focused on entertaining our millions of fans by continuously developing new and innovative products and services." The company earned approximately $67.6 million in pre-tax profit in 2011, or about 64 percent of total revenue.

Hed doesn't necessarily mean branching out from his company's most popular franchise, of course. Especially not after such a big year for merchandising surrounding the Angry Birds - Rovio's "consumer products" unit took in "about 30 percent" of 2011's total earnings (approximately $31.9 million). That's a lot of Angry Birds gummy snacks!

Rovio's $106.3 million in revenue (not profit, mind you, but revenue) is owed primarily to growth in the Finnish company's Angry Birds games catalog, which expanded by just one game in 2011: a movie tie-in named "Angry Birds Rio." The games have been downloaded approximately 648 million times across all platforms as of Dec. 31, 2011, and have a monthly user base of approximately 200 million.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'Nearsoft']

Continue reading The Angry Birds earned Rovio quite a bit of chicken scratch in 2011

JoystiqThe Angry Birds earned Rovio quite a bit of chicken scratch in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 May 2012 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidangry-birdsangry-birds-rioearningsfinancialsfinlandiosipadiphonemacmikael-hedmobilepcrovioMon, 07 May 2012 10:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga posts loss, beats estimates following OMGPOP acquisition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/zynga-posts-loss-beats-estimates-following-omgpop-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/zynga-posts-loss-beats-estimates-following-omgpop-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/zynga-posts-loss-beats-estimates-following-omgpop-acquisition/#comments ImageThere's good news and bad news for Zynga's financials. The good news first: Thanks to its purchase of Draw Something developer OMGPOP and some strong releases, the social game publisher beat quarterly revenue estimates from Wall Street, growing its year-over-year revenue to $321 million from $243 million. Zynga says it expects to make from $1.425 billion to $1.5 billion this year in total.

But the bad news is that outside of that big purchase, the company isn't showing the growth that Wall Street would like. Total monthly active users were up 24 percent, but analysts would prefer to see even more, and claim that Zynga only had a good quarter because of the acquisition.

Zynga also lost $85 million for the quarter. "They had to acquire to raise their numbers, but you're not going to be able to do that too many times," said Arvind Bhatia at Sterne Agee.

So Zynga will need to prove that it can sustain its growth outside of major acquisitions if it wants to keep stock prices up. We don't know much about the financial world, but would planting more corn help?

JoystiqZynga posts loss, beats estimates following OMGPOP acquisition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>draw-somethingfinancialsmobilemoneyomgpoppcquarterlyrevenuezyngaSat, 28 Apr 2012 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo expects to double 3DS sales by this time next year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/nintendo-expects-to-double-3ds-sales-by-this-time-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/nintendo-expects-to-double-3ds-sales-by-this-time-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/nintendo-expects-to-double-3ds-sales-by-this-time-next-year/#comments Call it ambitious (if you're feeling nice), or potentially bananas (if you're feeling realistic), but no matter what you call it, Nintendo's clearly not joking around with its hardware sales forecast. The company let loose a variety of predictions for the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2013) this week, which predicts movement of 18.5 million 3DS units into consumers' backpacks and purses worldwide.

That's not a huge increase from the console's first fiscal year (April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012), which saw 17.13 million 3DS units sold. And with big hitters like New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Animal Crossing on the way, it seems likely that Nintendo will surpass those numbers and get to "adjust" their forecast upwards come investor call time. "Ooops, we made way more money than we expected," Nintendo head Satoru Iwata might tell investors, with a coy smile. "Please forget about last year's major financial issues." At least that's how we picture these things going.

JoystiqNintendo expects to double 3DS sales by this time next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsfinancialsforecastfy-2013new-super-mario-bros-2nintendopredictionssalessales-forecastFri, 27 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo reports $461.2 million in losses for fiscal 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/nintendo-reports-461-2-million-in-losses-for-fiscal-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/nintendo-reports-461-2-million-in-losses-for-fiscal-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/nintendo-reports-461-2-million-in-losses-for-fiscal-2011/#comments Nintendo's announcement of losses for the fiscal year ending March 31 remains shocking, even though we had advance warning in the form of company forecasts. The actual results, with net sales of ¥647 billion ($8 billion!) were ¥12.3 billion lower than forecasted. The full-year loss was 37.3 billion yen ($461.2 million).

Nintendo said its effort to boost 3DS sales was successful, and that software sales were slower than expected in the US and Europe over the holidays. In addition, the reduced selling price of both the Wii and the 3DS, and, of course, the strong yen, contributed to the losses. The 3DS was actually dropped below cost in the 2011 price cut, the financial report reveals.

By the middle of the next fiscal year (the one that started April 1), Nintendo expects to stop selling 3DS below cost - we assume not by raising prices, but by reducing production costs. In addition, it expects to improve its fortunes with New Super Mario Bros. 2, the 3DS Animal Crossing, the new Brain Age game, and an Asian launch of the 3DS. Oh, and, of course, the Wii U.

JoystiqNintendo reports $461.2 million in losses for fiscal 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsfinancialsfy-2011nintendowiiwii-uThu, 26 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[3DS sold under cost since price cut, Nintendo 'hoping' to profit by March 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/3ds-sold-under-cost-since-price-cut-nintendo-hoping-to-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/3ds-sold-under-cost-since-price-cut-nintendo-hoping-to-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/26/3ds-sold-under-cost-since-price-cut-nintendo-hoping-to-profit/#comments Nintendo took a big hit last year when it dropped the price of its then-nascent handheld, the 3DS, to $170 just a few months after initial launch. Such a hit, apparently, that Nintendo is selling the unit for less than it costs the company to produce, as revealed in the company's latest financial earnings. "Its hardware has been sold below cost because of its significant price cut in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012," the financial report says.

But don't count Nintendo out! The company says it "expects to cease selling it below cost by the middle of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013." Which, in normal human terms, means Nintendo expects to start making money on the console around August of this year. So, you know, if you're really trying to stick it to Nintendo, go buy the 3DS between now and August. That'll show 'em!

The 3DS currently sells for $170, down from the $250 price tag it launched with back March of 2011.

Update: We've added context from financial analyst extraordinaires Michael Pachter (of Wedbush Securities) and Jesse Divnich (of EEDAR) just below the break.

Continue reading 3DS sold under cost since price cut, Nintendo 'hoping' to profit by March 2013

Joystiq3DS sold under cost since price cut, Nintendo 'hoping' to profit by March 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscosteedarfinancial-reportfinancialsjesse-divnichmichael-pachternintendoprofitssaleswedbushwedbush-morganwedbush-securitiesThu, 26 Apr 2012 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop sees 'modest increase' to 'all-time high' sales of $9.55B in fiscal 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/gamestop-sees-modest-increase-to-all-time-high-sales-of-9-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/gamestop-sees-modest-increase-to-all-time-high-sales-of-9-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/gamestop-sees-modest-increase-to-all-time-high-sales-of-9-5/#comments
GameStop's total global sales reached $9.55 billion for the fiscal year (ending January 28, 2012), a "modest increase" from the same period last year, in which the company reported "all-time high" revenues of $9.47 billion.

Due to some adjustments, GameStop added a mere $339.9 million to the moneybin this year, compared to its record net profit of $408 million in 2010 -- still, we understand that's plenty of cash to swim around in.

The company also revealed that digital receipts grew 57 percent during the year to $453 million. GameStop explained to us earlier this year how it turned the digital market into a physical cash system and how publishers are reaping the rewards.

JoystiqGamestop sees 'modest increase' to 'all-time high' sales of $9.55B in fiscal 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialfinancialsfy-2011GamestopQ4Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga lost over $400 million in 2011 while 58.5 million people played its games every day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/zynga-lost-over-400-million-in-2011-while-58-5-million-people-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/zynga-lost-over-400-million-in-2011-while-58-5-million-people-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/zynga-lost-over-400-million-in-2011-while-58-5-million-people-p/#comments Zynga's 2011 financial report is chock full of unexciting numbers (we'll get to them in a moment, if that's your kind of thing), but it does contain a few interesting morsels. For instance, Zynga completely owned the top five most played games on Facebook -- according to daily active user numbers -- refuting a report from Facebook late last year which fudged the numbers to bizarre effect.

The company dominated Facebook's annual game charts with 54 million of the approximately 800 million users playing Zynga games every single day in Q4 (roughly 4.25 million fewer than Zynga's annual average DAUs). And those users were buying up enough microtransacted goods to earn Zynga $1.07 billion solely online for the entirety of 2011, with a total of $1.14 billion earned in revenue for the year.

Now here's the bad news: despite earning over $1 billion in 2011, the company ended up with a net loss for the year of $404.3 million. According to the quarterly financials press release, Zynga paid out $510 million for "stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock units issued to employees" -- compensation it didn't have to pay until the company went public. The company's stock is currently trading $4.35 north of its introductory $10 price per share.

JoystiqZynga lost over $400 million in 2011 while 58.5 million people played its games every day originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfinancialsfy-2011iosipadiphonemacmobilepcq4-2011zyngaTue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix thanks games for 2011's rise in revenue, profit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/square-enix-thanks-games-for-2011s-rise-in-revenue-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/square-enix-thanks-games-for-2011s-rise-in-revenue-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/square-enix-thanks-games-for-2011s-rise-in-revenue-profit/#comments Deus Ex is leading the revenue revolution for Square Enix, whose digital entertainment -- games -- department in April-December 2011 grew 6.2 percent from the previous fiscal year, totaling $704.7 million in net sales. Games now comprise 56 percent of Square Enix's total revenue, where in the same period of 2010 they made up just 52 percent.

The company's operating profit rose 11.5 percent to $169.4 million and its net income ended at $65 million, up 175.2 percent from the previous period. Square Enix cited Deus Ex: Human Revolution and its online and social titles as the main factors behind its financial progress.

JoystiqSquare Enix thanks games for 2011's rise in revenue, profit originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddeus-ex-human-revolutionfinancialsiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilepcplaystationprofitps3revenueSquare-EnixxboxSat, 04 Feb 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Konami net income up 77 percent year-over-year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/konami-net-income-up-77-percent-year-over-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/konami-net-income-up-77-percent-year-over-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/konami-net-income-up-77-percent-year-over-year/#comments We're still a couple of months away from the end of fiscal 2012, but the first 9 months of the confusingly offset financial season have treated Konami extremely well: The company reports a 77.3 percent year-over-year increase in net income over fiscal 2011, earning profits of ¥17.05 billion ($224 million) for the period.

Most of that, however, was pushed by Konami's social networking devision, which operates mobile/casual games in Japanese markets and posted revenues of $348 million, up from $127 million over the same period last year. The company's "consumer games" segment fell year-over-year, from $698 million in fiscal 2011 to $465 million in fiscal 2012. Konami has also adjusted its predictions for the end fiscal 2012, anticipating overall revenue at $3.38 billion and net income at $298 million.

JoystiqKonami net income up 77 percent year-over-year originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsfiscal-2012konamiQ3Q3-2012Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rockstar lives up to its name in Q3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/rockstar-lives-up-to-its-name-in-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/rockstar-lives-up-to-its-name-in-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/rockstar-lives-up-to-its-name-in-q3/#comments Rockstar Games should be partying like, well, itself, according to the stats released in Take-Two's Q3 fiscal report. Rockstar has sold through more than 13 million units of Red Dead Redemption worldwide and more than 5 million units of L.A. Noire since launch. The mobile version of Grand Theft Auto 3 beat all the odds and reviews to become Take-Two's best-selling mobile title to date.

JoystiqRockstar lives up to its name in Q3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfinancialsgrand-theft-auto-3iosipadiphoneLA-Noiremicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3q3-2011Red-Dead-RedemptionTake-TwoxboxThu, 02 Feb 2012 16:34:00 EST<![CDATA[EA sees $205 million net loss in Q3, rise in social-games users]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/ea-sees-205-million-net-loss-in-q3-rise-in-social-games-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/ea-sees-205-million-net-loss-in-q3-rise-in-social-games-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/ea-sees-205-million-net-loss-in-q3-rise-in-social-games-users/#comments EA recorded a net loss of $205 million, but its highest operating cash flow in 31 quarters for the fiscal third quarter ending December 31, 2011. In Q3 2011, EA generated $1.06 billion in net revenue, which is up from the previous Q3, with a net revenue of $1.05 billion. EA's cash flow from operations is recorded at $475 million.

EA's Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12 have each sold more than 10 million units, while Madden 12 sold almost 5 million. PopCap, which EA acquired in August, grew revenue 30 percent on a trailing 12-month basis, and its monthly active users for social games rose to 52 million, up from 39 million the previous year.

JoystiqEA sees $205 million net loss in Q3, rise in social-games users originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-Artsfinancialsfy-2012iosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilenintendoplaystationps3pspQ3q3-2012salessonywiixboxWed, 01 Feb 2012 16:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo: 3DS sales prove there's still room for dedicated gaming handhelds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/nintendo-3ds-sales-prove-theres-still-room-for-dedicated-gamin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/nintendo-3ds-sales-prove-theres-still-room-for-dedicated-gamin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/nintendo-3ds-sales-prove-theres-still-room-for-dedicated-gamin/#comments Nintendo President Satoru Iwata believes the company has proven there's still a market for dedicated gaming handheld hardware like the 3DS. In a briefing -- which covered a lot of ground -- Iwata revealed the pictured chart above, comparing internal Nintendo weekly sales data of the Wii, DS and 3DS. The executive said the initial sales pace of the 3DS was "unsatisfactory," but the device gained momentum after the price cut and the launch of popular games like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 (and Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) G in Japan).

"Last summer, when the sales pace of the Nintendo 3DS was slow, there were extreme remarks saying, 'With the penetration of smartphones, will there still be a market for handheld hardware?,' which was almost equal to 'Handheld hardware is not necessary anymore,'" Iwata said. "I believe we proved that such opinions are incorrect."

In the end, however, Nintendo did not reach its internal sales goal for the device, despite the 3DS gaining momentum and ending the year with a respectable 15 million unit sales. Iwata says the company could not cover the lack of units sold pre-price drop, which is one of the reasons for its negatively revised financial forecasts.

JoystiqNintendo: 3DS sales prove there's still room for dedicated gaming handhelds originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsandroidFinancialsiosipadiphoneIwatamobilenintendoQ3salesSatoru-IwataFri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo enhances expected loss; 15 million 3DS units sold since launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/nintendo-enhances-expected-loss-15-million-3ds-units-sold-since/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/nintendo-enhances-expected-loss-15-million-3ds-units-sold-since/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/nintendo-enhances-expected-loss-15-million-3ds-units-sold-since/#comments Nintendo has once again revised its expected loss for the fiscal year ending in March, widening its forecasted financial misfortune from ¥20 billion ($258M) to ¥65 billion ($839M). The increased loss comes a quarter after Nintendo switched its forecast from a ¥20 billion profit to loss.

For the first nine months of the fiscal year ending December 31, Nintendo had sales of ¥556 billion ($7.2B), a 31 percent decrease from the same period last year. Overall, it posted a loss of ¥48.4 billion ($620M).

"Nintendo 3DS hardware during the nine months ended December 31, 2011, were 11.43 million units, and the total worldwide sales since its launch exceeded 15 million units," the company stated. Both Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have gone on to become million-selling titles.

The company also mentioned that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii recorded "strong sales, especially in the United States." Worldwide Wii sales over the nine-month period hit 8.96 million units, with software selling 89 million units.

Nintendo's financial woes, coupled with mobile gaming's increased portion of the handheld market, are not sitting well with investors. The House of Mario continues to see its stock sitting at a five-year low.

JoystiqNintendo enhances expected loss; 15 million 3DS units sold since launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsfinancialfinancialsnintendoQ3wiiwii-uThu, 26 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga's paid $300 per new user in the past nine months, says analyst]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/zyngas-paid-300-per-new-user-in-the-past-nine-months-says-ana/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/zyngas-paid-300-per-new-user-in-the-past-nine-months-says-ana/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/zyngas-paid-300-per-new-user-in-the-past-nine-months-says-ana/#comments Zynga has been struggling with its stock price since the IPO late last year, and Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia says there are more dark days ahead. When you compare Zynga's $120 million marketing budget to its recent rise in only 400,000 new players (about $300 a person), the numbers don't look good: "We know that, on average, these people are spending about $150 or so," says Bhatia, which suggests that Zynga is spending about $300 for every $150 in profit. "That math won't work for very long," obviously.

Zynga's spending is indicative of a few trends in social gaming. First, the company has discovered it's very hard to earn new players. Many of Zynga's games are similar, and without really experimenting, it's going to be hard to generate uniques. Second, Zynga's earnings are based on "whales": A small percentage of players who spend big. You need to find a lot of unique free-to-play players to land a few whales, and Bhatia doesn't see Zynga doing that lately.

So what's the solution? "Zynga will have to find their next FarmVille," says Bhatia. Until the company finds another phenomenally popular hit and the surge in new players that comes along with it (which is incredibly tough to do), Bhatia expects to see even more problems with Zynga and its stock.

JoystiqZynga's paid $300 per new user in the past nine months, says analyst originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arvind-bhatiafarmvillefinancialsgamingipomafia-warsmobilepcpricessocialsocial-gamingstockzyngaSat, 21 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision reports record digital revenue, raises 2011 financial outlook]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/activision-reports-record-digital-revenue-raises-2011-financial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/activision-reports-record-digital-revenue-raises-2011-financial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/activision-reports-record-digital-revenue-raises-2011-financial/#comments Skylanders Activision has reported its financial results for its fiscal third quarter, ended September 30. The company posted revenues of $754 million, up from $745 million during the same period last year and, more importantly, over $100 million more than its original outlook of $650 million. Net income came in at $148 million, a hefty increase over the $51 million brought in during the same period last year.

The company brought in a record $427 million in revenues from digital channels, accounting for 57 percent of total revenue. The results also make note of Call of Duty: Black Ops, which Activision cites as "the #1 best-selling title in dollars in aggregate across all platforms in the U.S. and Europe for each of the first three quarters of 2011."

On the back Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the "stronger than expected consumer response" to the toy-driven Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, the company is raising its revenue outlook for the rest of the year from $4.18 billion to $4.33 billion.

JoystiqActivision reports record digital revenue, raises 2011 financial outlook originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionfinancialsfy02911q3Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo predicts first annual loss since getting on with Donkey Kong]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/nintendo-predicts-first-annual-loss-since-getting-on-with-donkey/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/nintendo-predicts-first-annual-loss-since-getting-on-with-donkey/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/nintendo-predicts-first-annual-loss-since-getting-on-with-donkey/#comments Nintendo has revised its estimate for the fiscal year ending next March from a ¥20 billion ($264M) profit, to a ¥20 billion loss. Bloomberg checked the books and noted this would be Nintendo's first annual loss in over 30 years, its first since becoming a video game juggernaut.

The negative annual news came bundled with details for the first six months of the fiscal year ending September 30, which saw the platform holder double its expected loss, from ¥35 billion ($462M) to ¥70.2 billion ($926M).

Nintendo blamed "a smaller number of hit titles overall, a decrease of both hardware and software sales ... price reductions of Nintendo 3DS hardware and Wii hardware in overseas markets along with the inventory markdown, and the impact of a much stronger yen against the U.S. dollar."

During the six month period, the 3DS sold 3.07 million units, but just 8.13 million pieces of software. Meanwhile, in the same period, DS models moved 2.58 million units and 29 million pieces of software. 3.35 million Wiis waggled off the shelves, as did 26.45 million games.

The company's stock is currently at a five-year low, with no indications that it won't dip lower and become reacquainted with numbers it hasn't seen since the darker Gamecube era.

JoystiqNintendo predicts first annual loss since getting on with Donkey Kong originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsfinancialsnintendowiiwii-uThu, 27 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop Q2 financials anchored by strong used game and digital sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/gamestop-q2-financials-anchored-by-strong-used-game-and-digital/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/gamestop-q2-financials-anchored-by-strong-used-game-and-digital/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/gamestop-q2-financials-anchored-by-strong-used-game-and-digital/#comments GameStop's total sales were down 3.1% in the quarter ending July 30, 2011 -- $1.74 billion in sales this quarter compared to $1.8 billion in the same period last year. A boon for the company has been (get this!) used game and digital sales, which both rose 12% and 69% year-over-year, respectively. Digital sales are up 16% compared to Q1 of 2011 and with the recent announcement of downloadable PC games being sold at retail, we wouldn't be surprised to see even greater digital revenue in Q3.

GameStop also cited lower hardware sales and fewer games this quarter compared to last year, both of which the company said contributed to an overall lower quarter for store sales, down 9.1%. The retailer also reported diminished net sales of $30.9 million compared to $40.3 million in 2010.

LA Noire, NCAA Football 12, Infamous 2, Brink and Mortal Kombat were GameStop's top earners in the quarter, spanning the classic genres of shooters, sports games, fighters and whatever you'd call LA Noire. Crime drama genre? The "character actor did it" genre?

JoystiqGamestop Q2 financials anchored by strong used game and digital sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsearningsfinancialsgamestopLA-Noiremacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3pspq2salessonywiixboxThu, 18 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision enjoys record revenues in Q2, digital represents 37% of sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/activision-enjoys-record-revenues-in-q2-digital-represents-37/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/activision-enjoys-record-revenues-in-q2-digital-represents-37/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/activision-enjoys-record-revenues-in-q2-digital-represents-37/#comments Activision Blizzard enjoyed record revenues in the second quarter (ending June 30, 2011) with $1.1 billion in sales and $335 million in profit, compared to $967 million in sales and $219 million in profit during the same period last year. Overall, Activision has seen revenues of $2.6 billion for the first six months of the year, compared to $2.2 billion in 2010.

Digital sales, like those Call of Duty: Black Ops map packs, saw a 27 percent increase year over year. Digital represented 37 percent of the company's total net revenues, or $423 million in the quarter. Don't take that to mean retail is dead to Activision: $660 million (an increase of 13 percent) comes from ye olde shoppe, though part of that 58 percent of the company's revenues still goes into champagne baths and caviar breakfasts.

JoystiqActivision enjoys record revenues in Q2, digital represents 37% of sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzarddsfinancialsFY-2011microsoftnintendopcplaystationps3Q2wiixboxWed, 03 Aug 2011 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft sales up 15% in first half of 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/gameloft-sales-up-15-in-first-half-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/gameloft-sales-up-15-in-first-half-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/gameloft-sales-up-15-in-first-half-of-2011/#comments Gameloft is benefiting greatly from the age of mobile gaming, with sales up significantly in the first half of 2011. The company's controversial working conditions and ethically flexible game development appear to be producing results, with sales up 15 percent to €76.8 million ($108.8M).

The publisher cited sales in emerging countries and the "massive success" of games on smartphones and tablets around the world for its prosperity. Gameloft's first-half sales on smartphones and tablets grew 55 percent year-over-year and represented 30 percent of sales; it plans to launch approximately 20 games for smartphones and tablets in the second half of the fiscal year. Gosh, we really need to crack the whip at Joystiq Publishing(R) China[TM] and get that Angry Cocker Spaniel catapult game out the door.

JoystiqGameloft sales up 15% in first half of 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsfinancialfinancialsfirst-halffirst-half-2011fy-2011GameloftmobileQ2Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo cuts profit forecast by 82%]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/nintendo-cuts-profit-forecast-by-82/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/nintendo-cuts-profit-forecast-by-82/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/nintendo-cuts-profit-forecast-by-82/#comments If it wasn't clear already: the 3DS has not been a home run for Nintendo. In its revised earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2012, the company dropped its estimated profit to ¥20 billion ($257M), an 82 percent drop from the ¥110 billion ($1.41B) it expected. The company stated the modification had been done to reflect "trends of stronger-than-expected yen appreciation and sales performance, the decided price reduction of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, and the sales outlook for the holiday season."

A similar cut in Japan (effective August 11) will take the system from ¥25,000 (around $317) to ¥15,000 ($190).

The steep profit reduction isn't Nintendo's only glaring concern, as the company couldn't regain investor confidence after announcing the Wii U at E3 and its stock currently sits at five-year lows.

For the first quarter ending June 30, Nintendo saw its net sales cut by half from the same period last year to ¥93 billion ($1.2B), causing a ¥38 billion ($489M) loss in operating income, with a net loss for the quarter staying relatively even to last year's at ¥26 billion ($334M).

JoystiqNintendo cuts profit forecast by 82% originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DSdsFinancialFinancialsFY-2011nintendoQ1wiiThu, 28 Jul 2011 10:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft Q1 sales down 36 percent from last year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/ubisoft-q1-sales-down-36-percent-from-last-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/ubisoft-q1-sales-down-36-percent-from-last-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/ubisoft-q1-sales-down-36-percent-from-last-year/#comments The latest Ubisoft financial report for the first quarter of its 2012 fiscal year is a tough pill to swallow for everyone who loved Q Entertainment's stunning rhythm-shooter, Child of Eden. The company's sales for the quarter reached €103 million, a decline of 36.3% from the €161 million reported during the same period during FY 2011.

The quarter wasn't a total wash -- sales actually exceeded Ubisoft's expectations of €90 million thanks to strong back-catalog sales (thanks, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood!), successful digital titles like Outland and Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, and the massive worldwide sales of Michael Jackson: The Experience. Still, in a perfect world, Ubisoft's financial report would just show the logo for Child of Eden, then a picture of Tetsuya Mizuguchi rolling around in an Olympic swimming pool filled with hundred-dollar bills.

JoystiqUbisoft Q1 sales down 36 percent from last year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011child-of-edenfinancialsfy-2012michael-jackson-the-experiencemicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3q1-2012salesubisoftwiixboxWed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[THQ sales slump for FY2011, looking to successful sequels in 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/thq-sales-slump-for-fy2011-looking-to-successful-sequels-in-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/thq-sales-slump-for-fy2011-looking-to-successful-sequels-in-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/thq-sales-slump-for-fy2011-looking-to-successful-sequels-in-201/#comments THQ has announced its earnings for fiscal year 2011, which ended March 31, 2011. Stacked up against last year's report, the publisher's net sales on a GAAP basis were down from $899 million to $665 million, a drop of $234 million overall. Its net loss saw a dramatic increase from $9.6 million to $135 million, most likely attributable to a large marketing push for Homefront and ramp-up in the number of titles in development.

Brian Farrell, the company's president and CEO, decided to focus on the coming fiscal year in his statements, stating that "We expect to generate significant growth, profitability and cash in fiscal 2012, driven by the latest installments of multi-million unit selling franchises Saints Row, Red Faction, Warhammer 40,000, MX vs. ATV, UFC, WWE and uDraw."

Net sales for Q4 2011 also slumped, totaling $124 million, down $74 million from $198 million in Q4 2010. The company's biggest release for the quarter, Homefront, shipped 2.6 million copies before March 31 according to Farrell. The title had sold through one million units as of March 24.

JoystiqTHQ sales slump for FY2011, looking to successful sequels in 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsfinancial-reportfinancialsfy-2011homefrontq4-2011thqTue, 03 May 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 sees record fiscal Q3 sales, Kinect sold 2.4M units in quarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/xbox-360-sees-record-fiscal-q3-sales-kinect-sold-2-4m-units-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/xbox-360-sees-record-fiscal-q3-sales-kinect-sold-2-4m-units-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/xbox-360-sees-record-fiscal-q3-sales-kinect-sold-2-4m-units-in/#comments Microsoft reports results were up across the board in its fiscal-year third quarter (ending March 31, 2011), with the Redmond giant's Entertainment & Devices Division (EDD) -- that's Xbox and other stuff -- one of the standouts, enjoying 60 percent growth year-over-year. The group generated $1.94 billion in revenue and saw $225 million in profit in Q3, up 50 percent from the same period last fiscal year.

2.7 million Xbox 360 units were sold during the quarter, a new record for the console in Q3 sales (and up 70 percent over last year). Kinect sales followed suit with 2.4 million units sold in the quarter -- and passed the 10-million mark to boot. Microsoft expects revenue growth of at least 25 percent for the EDD during Q4, with "more to be shared at E3 in June."

Overall, thanks to strong sales of Windows 7, Microsoft recorded Q3 revenues of $16.43 billion and a net income of $5.23 billion.

JoystiqXbox 360 sees record fiscal Q3 sales, Kinect sold 2.4M units in quarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsfinancialfinancialsfy-2011hardwarekinectmicrosoftq3salesxboxFri, 29 Apr 2011 10:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney Interactive sees growth in Q1 2011 despite 'acquisition accounting']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/disney-interactive-sees-growth-in-q1-2011-despite-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/disney-interactive-sees-growth-in-q1-2011-despite-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/disney-interactive-sees-growth-in-q1-2011-despite-acquisition/#comments The Walt Disney Company has reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2011, and the Interactive Media department saw revenues increase 58 percent from last year over the same period, to $349 million. Despite "higher sales of console games" this year (Epic Mickey and Toy Story 3 are cited as part of the "strong performance"), the company says that the acquisition of Playdom nevertheless led to a segment operating results loss of $13 million, an increase from the $10 million loss the year before.

In other words, Disney Interactive is doing better, but was still brought down by what it calls "the impact of acquisition accounting" -- the money spent on Playdom (presumably a one-time cost) sent the department into the red for the quarter.

Unfortunately, that leaves Interactive Media to be the only division showing a loss for the quarter; Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment and Consumer Products all showed nice growth. Disney probably isn't too worried, though. Not that Disney Interactive has another Epic Mickey-sized title coming up that we know about, but the Playdom deal's after-echos are disguising what appears to be some steady growth that the home office will hopefully see for what it is.

JoystiqDisney Interactive sees growth in Q1 2011 despite 'acquisition accounting' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disneydisney-interactiveearningsfinancialsmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3q1-2011wiixboxTue, 08 Feb 2011 20:20:00 EST<![CDATA[EA incurs $322 million loss in Q3, 22% of employees in 'low cost locations']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/ea-incurs-322-million-loss-in-q3-22-of-employees-in-low-cost/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/ea-incurs-322-million-loss-in-q3-22-of-employees-in-low-cost/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/ea-incurs-322-million-loss-in-q3-22-of-employees-in-low-cost/#comments EA suffered a net loss of $322 million for its fiscal third quarter ending December 31, 2010, a fourfold increase from the same period last year. The company generated revenues of a mere $1.05 billion during Q3, a decrease of nearly $200 million from the holidays last year. Despite significant increases in digital revenue and "record breaking" iOS sales, there wasn't enough to offset the reduction in packaged goods (disc-based games) sales, titles with "significant" development costs and the general cost of goods sold for EA's business.

The company also noted that it ended the quarter with 7,742 employees, down from 8,537 a year ago and the 7,820 workers it employed during Q2 before committing its "seasonal roll-offs." EA CFO Eric Brown mentioned that 22 percent of the publisher's employees are now in "low cost locations." We've followed up with EA for its definition of "low cost locations."

JoystiqEA incurs $322 million loss in Q3, 22% of employees in 'low cost locations' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-ArtsfinancialsFY-2011layoffsQ3salesWed, 02 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mama Mia! Majesco cooks up $2.1 million fiscal-year loss]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mama-mia-majesco-cooks-up-2-1-million-fiscal-year-loss/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mama-mia-majesco-cooks-up-2-1-million-fiscal-year-loss/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mama-mia-majesco-cooks-up-2-1-million-fiscal-year-loss/#comments Majesco Entertainment ended its last fiscal year (on October 31, 2010) with a $2.1 million loss -- which is better than the $6.6 million it flambéed the previous fiscal year. The financially troubled publisher is pinning its hopes in the new fiscal year (which began Nov. 1) on Crafting Mama, Babysitting Mama and Zumba Fitness, which has already sold a half-million units since its mid-November release. Majesco has also planted one of those money-growing trees: a Facebook game, Friends Cafe.

With its focus on mass-market appeal, Majesco could well bake up some profits this fiscal year. We'll keep watch over its shoulder, though, mindful to leave a clear path to the fire extinguisher in case the money continues to burn.

JoystiqMama Mia! Majesco cooks up $2.1 million fiscal-year loss originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>babysitting-mamacrafting-mamadsearningsfinancialsfriends-cafefy-2010MajescoMajesco-Entertainmentmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3q4wiixboxzumba-fitnessThu, 20 Jan 2011 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GameStop enjoyed sales of $1.9B in Q3; Kinect, Move in 'very short supply']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/gamestop-enjoyed-sales-of-1-9b-in-q3-kinect-move-in-very-sho/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/gamestop-enjoyed-sales-of-1-9b-in-q3-kinect-move-in-very-sho/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/gamestop-enjoyed-sales-of-1-9b-in-q3-kinect-move-in-very-sho/#comments GameStop's money bin kept on filling up in the third quarter of its fiscal year, with the company reporting $1.9 billion in sales, up 3.5 percent from the same period last year. The company saw a profit of $54.7 million, up 4.8 percent from the $52.2 million from Q3 of last year.

The top five selling games for the retailer during the period, ending October 30, 2010, were Halo: Reach, Madden NFL 2011, Fallout: New Vegas, NBA 2K11 and Medal of Honor.

Gamasutra reports that during an investor call earlier today, company president Tony Bartel noted there is strong demand for both Sony's Move and Microsoft's Kinect. The company is "excited" to see that the peripherals are currently in "very short supply" and that they are bringing in an "expanded audience." Company execs believe the two items are comparable to the Wii in terms of bringing a different set of customers to stores.

JoystiqGameStop enjoyed sales of $1.9B in Q3; Kinect, Move in 'very short supply' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessearningsfinancialsfy-2010GameStopmicrosoftplaystationps3q3q3-2010xboxFri, 19 Nov 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft stock experiences 'biggest drop' in over a decade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/ubisoft-stock-experiences-biggest-drop-in-over-a-decade/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/ubisoft-stock-experiences-biggest-drop-in-over-a-decade/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/ubisoft-stock-experiences-biggest-drop-in-over-a-decade/#comments Yesterday's quarterly review did not win over many investors. Ubisoft's share prices fell 22 percent, which Bloomberg calls the company's biggest drop "since at least 1996." Apparently, people did not respond positively to the company losing millions of dollars. In fact, a number of analysts have downgraded the stock, such as Deutsche Bank's move from "buy" to "hold."

The tumultuous fall of Ubisoft's stock price may provide some opportunity for other investors, though. Michael Pachter offered a more favorable analysis of the company's upcoming portfolio, telling Gamasutra that "Ubisoft has the potential to deliver much higher revenue and EPS going forward as it focuses on AAA-quality franchise games with a history of success (emphasis ours)." For better and for worse, that means Ubisoft needs to focus more on games like Assassin's Creed, and less on games like Beyond Good & Evil if it plans to woo investors back.

JoystiqUbisoft stock experiences 'biggest drop' in over a decade originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financialsmichael-pachterstockubisoftTue, 16 Nov 2010 22:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft's first half 2010 financials show improvement, still in the red]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/ubisofts-first-half-2010-financials-show-improvement-still-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/ubisofts-first-half-2010-financials-show-improvement-still-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/ubisofts-first-half-2010-financials-show-improvement-still-in/#comments The first half of Ubisoft's 2010-11 fiscal year (from April 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010) showed positive growth comparatively with the company's fiscal first half of 2009-10, with sales up 57 percent to €260 million ($354.25 million) over last year. Despite the increased sales, the French publisher still spent the first six months of fiscal 2010 losing money -- €89.8 million ($122.08 million) in total.

Accounting for an enormous chunk of the company's first-half loss was "studios' roles and operations reorganization," which we take to mean "we've been building and staffing up our new studio, Ubisoft Toronto." The recent closure of Ubisoft Brazil assuredly helped mitigate the expense of creating a new base of operation, though apparently not enough to keep Ubi in the black.

Also to blame: Tom Clancy's HAWX 2 and Ruse both performed below the publisher's expectations, in addition to "higher R&D [research and development] than expected." CEO Yves Guillemot also explained, "The market environment continues to be tough and, although our gross profit rose sharply, the increase was lower than we expected and we had to accelerate depreciations on certain released titles." But with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Just Dance 2, and Michael Jackson: The Experience all scheduled for launch in the third quarter of Ubi's fiscal year, the publisher is confident that Q3 will be profitable.

JoystiqUbisoft's first half 2010 financials show improvement, still in the red originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsfinancialsfy-2010-11lossesq2ubisoftubisoft-brazilubisoft-torontoMon, 15 Nov 2010 12:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft announces record Q1 revenue, thanks 'Xbox 360 consoles and games']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/microsoft-announces-record-q1-revenue-thanks-xbox-360-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/microsoft-announces-record-q1-revenue-thanks-xbox-360-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/microsoft-announces-record-q1-revenue-thanks-xbox-360-consoles/#comments Microsoft has issued its earnings report for Q1 of its fiscal year 2011, and things are looking good for its gaming division. The company reported revenue of $16.20 billion for the period, which ended on September 30. This amounts to a 25 percent increase over Q1 FY 20111 overall.

When it comes to Xbox 360, the console was cited as a top performer, alongside Windows 7 and Office 2010. In fact, Microsoft reports that sales are up 38 percent overall, compared with the same quarter last year, "outselling every competing console in the U.S. for each of the past four months," it gloats.

Diving into the numbers, Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division (home to Xbox, Zune, and Windows Phone 7) benefited from a 33 percent rise in revenue from Xbox 360 sales over Q1 FY 2010, to the tune of $409 million. Shipments of the console to retailers totaled 2.8 million units for the quarter, up from 2.1 million during the same period last year.

Revenue from software sales also increased, bolstered by (what else?) Halo: Reach. The Bungie title generated a whopping $350 million for Microsoft in the quarter -- a number made more impressive by the fact that, having launched September 14, that revenue resulted from only 17 days of the game's sales. No wonder Microsoft is considering releasing Halo games on a more frequent basis.

JoystiqMicrosoft announces record Q1 revenue, thanks 'Xbox 360 consoles and games' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessearningsfinancialsfy-2011microsoftq1xboxThu, 28 Oct 2010 17:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Capcom first-half FY 2010 finds sales up, profits down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/capcom-first-half-fy-2010-finds-sales-up-profits-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/capcom-first-half-fy-2010-finds-sales-up-profits-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/capcom-first-half-fy-2010-finds-sales-up-profits-down/#comments
 Capcom is gettin' by, as the publisher announced that sales were up 4.7 percent, with net profit down 39.9 percent, during the first half of fiscal year 2010, ending March 31, 2011. The publisher also announced that Jun Takeuchi can now add "Corporate Officer" to his already outrageous title of "Deputy Head of Consumer Games R&D Division and General Manager of R&D Production Department." Think that title sounds serious in English? Check it out in Japanese: 執 行 役 員CS開発副統括 兼 制作部長.

Net sales reached ¥40.7 billion ($501M) during the six-month period ending September 30, 2010, thanks to the release of Dead Rising 2 and continued sales of Super Street Fighter IV. The publisher also stated that Sengoku BASARA: Samurai Heroes and Monster Hunter spin-off Monhan Nikki Pokapoka Airu Mura shipped over 500 thousands units apiece. These titles helped push that 4.7% increase in sales over the same period last year. Overall, Capcom states sales were stagnant due to the late release of Dead Rising 2 and the "substantial underperformance" of Lost Planet 2.

Due to the sales issues, net profit for the first half was ¥1.7 billion ($22 million, down 39.9%). The company forecasts it'll end the fiscal year next March with sales of ¥91 billion ($1.1 billion) and a net income of ¥6.5 billion ($80 million).

JoystiqCapcom first-half FY 2010 finds sales up, profits down originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusinessCapcomdead-rising-2Financialsfy-2010Lost-Planet-2microsoftpcplaystationps3pspq2sonyxboxThu, 28 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Get Fit with Mel B' among highlights in shaky SouthPeak financial report]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/southpeak-fiscal-2010-financial-results/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/southpeak-fiscal-2010-financial-results/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/southpeak-fiscal-2010-financial-results/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Get Fit with Mel B is name-dropped no less than three times in your annual fiscal year report as a positive indicator, it tends to raise a red flag. SouthPeak Interactive today shared the financial results of its fiscal 2010 year (July 2009 - June 2010) and did its best to paint an optimistic picture for the current fiscal year. But even fervor over a Spice Girl comeback "this fall" (a firm release date has yet to be locked down) couldn't cover up the bottom line: SouthPeak recorded a net loss of $5.8 million last fiscal year. At least the company has "improved" upon fiscal 2009's $13.3 million loss ... Anybody?

Other highlights from fiscal 2010 include an increase in total units sold to 2.6 million from 2.4 million in fiscal 2009; and the release of 29 titles compared to 18 in fiscal 2009. Read that again -- it seems two "highlights" can combine to form a low point: Average unit sales per title fell from 133.33K in fiscal 2009 to 89.66K last fiscal year.

"While fiscal 2010 was a challenging year, we made critical improvements to our infrastructure and carefully controlled our costs to better align our operations with our revenue stream," SouthPeak CEO Melanie Mroz said in a conference call today. "Fiscal 2011 will be a continuation of controlled expense and a carefully managed title release schedule. Our focus remains on increasing sales with new titles that address gaming in a way that separates us from our competition."

Joystiq'Get Fit with Mel B' among highlights in shaky SouthPeak financial report originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deep-silverdsearningsfinancialfinancialsfy-2010get-fit-with-mel-bmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-moveps3southpeaksouthpeak-gamessouthpeak-interactivewiixboxWed, 13 Oct 2010 21:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Capcom profits plummet in fiscal 2009, new strategy outlined]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/capcom-profits-plummet-in-fiscal-2009-new-strategy-outlined/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/capcom-profits-plummet-in-fiscal-2009-new-strategy-outlined/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/capcom-profits-plummet-in-fiscal-2009-new-strategy-outlined/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Capcom has released its annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, and there's a wealth of information for those willing to plumb its 102-page depths. Net sales for Capcom's fiscal 2009 were ¥66.8 billion ($779 million), down from ¥91.8 billion ($1.07 billion) in 2008. The company saw net income of ¥2.16 billion ($25 million), its lowest since 2004 (when it saw a loss of over ¥9 billion). This marks a very sharp contrast to the previous year, when Capcom recorded net income of ¥8 billion ($93 million), its highest earnings since 2000.

Capcom cited the postponement of many major titles until the following fiscal year as the cause for the decline. Given those titles included the likes of Super Street Fighter 4, we'd say that's probably accurate.

Capcom isn't losing heart though, and goes on to detail its new strategy of "Single Content Multiple Usage." The company plans to leverage its video game segment (which accounts for 65.9 percent of its business) to promote products in other forms of media. As illustrated in the image above, Capcom has already done this with the Resident Evil franchise, creating books, movies and music that revolve around the brand. Capcom hopes this will reduce risk and attract "customers obtained from other business segments" to the video games these products are based on.

So, does watching Milla Jovovich kill movie zombies compel you to shoot the virtual ones?

JoystiqCapcom profits plummet in fiscal 2009, new strategy outlined originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomfinancialfinancialsfy-2009RE5Resident-Evil-5Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST