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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[790K people bought Chrono Trigger DS (and other Square sales figures) ]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/790K-people-bought-chrono-trigger-ds-and-other-square-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/790K-people-bought-chrono-trigger-ds-and-other-square-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/790K-people-bought-chrono-trigger-ds-and-other-square-sales/#comments
Note: numbers reflect 10k increments Square Enix has released an accounting of its software sales for fiscal year 2009 -- which ended March 31 -- and remakes ruled. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, a refresh of the 1992 Super Famicom installment in the famous role-playing series, sold 1.35 million copies globally -- placing Dissidia: Final Fantasy, a new property, in second place with combined sales of 930,000 teeny-tiny UMDs.

Let there be no questioning of Chrono Trigger's lasting appeal: the DS re-release managed to make it into the hands on 790k gamers, many of which were no doubt buying the game for the second or third time since the 16-bit original's 1995 launch.

European gamers gobbled up Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII with half a million units sold in the territory, although the region came in third in overall sales for Square Enix. The US actually proved to be its most lucrative market with 1.69 million games sold, versus 1.51M for Japan. Part of the success in the West: The Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery, which sold better in the States than anywhere else.

[Via Siliconera]

Joystiq790K people bought Chrono Trigger DS (and other Square sales figures) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chrono-triggerchrono-trigger-dsDSfy09MicrosoftNintendosalessales-figuressoftware-salessquare-enixWiiXbox-360Thu, 21 May 2009 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Notes from EA's investor conference call ]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/notes-from-eas-investor-conference-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/notes-from-eas-investor-conference-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/notes-from-eas-investor-conference-call/#commentsFiled under:

Following today's news of EA lowering its forecast for fiscal year '09, the mega-publisher held a conference call - mainly for investors - to go into a little more detail as to the why's of the situation and the how's of the solution. Fingers were metaphorically pointed at retailers for shortening their stock of all but the best-selling games, while new properties were praised for faring well with reviewers.

EA CEO, John Riccitiello, began the call by pointing out that 17 of the company's '08 titles earned aggregate Metacritic scores above 80, versus only seven the year before. New IPs - specifically Dead Space and Mirror's Edge - were praised, but Riccitiello pointed out during the Q&A portion of the call that these franchises will perform better once established. "Dead Space looks like a long-term big winner for us," he said, later confirming, "[Mirror's Edge] is going to go forward."

The EA boss placed substantial emphasis on the impact of major retailers cutting their stock of all but the top five best-selling titles this holiday season. Looking forward, he said to expect the company to produce fewer titles overall next year, with core and casual games seeing equal, indeterminate cuts; sports will be untouched. Riccitiello also confirmed that studio consolidation will play a role in EA's FY10 cost-cutting plans, as will the merging of labels, specifically EA Sims and EA Casual, into one.

JoystiqNotes from EA's investor conference call originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-spaceeaelectronic-artsfinancialfy09mirrors-edgeTue, 09 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero franchise tops the charts for '08 (so far)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/guitar-hero-franchise-tops-the-charts-for-08-so-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/guitar-hero-franchise-tops-the-charts-for-08-so-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/guitar-hero-franchise-tops-the-charts-for-08-so-far/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


As part of today's quarterly financial wrap-up, Activision Blizzard struck a high note with the announcement that the Guitar Hero franchise has topped the NPD Group's software sales chart for the first nine months of 2008. This includes, of course, every permutation of the rhythm game series combined across all console platforms and Nintendo DS, with the exception of the newly released Guitar Hero World Tour.

In its report to shareholders, Blizzivision pointed out that Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: On Tour, in particular, contributed most to its bottom line for Q2. With World Tour out in Q3 followed by the holiday release of GH: Decades for the DS, we could see a similar chart-topping performance for the franchise come the end of December.


JoystiqGuitar Hero franchise tops the charts for '08 (so far) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardDSfy09GameCubeguitar-heroneversoftnpdPS2PS3q209salesvicarious-visionsXbox-360Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision Blizzard loses $108m in Q209, plans to repurchase $1 billion in stock]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/activision-blizzard-loses-108m-in-q209-plans-to-repurchase-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/activision-blizzard-loses-108m-in-q209-plans-to-repurchase-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/activision-blizzard-loses-108m-in-q209-plans-to-repurchase-1/#commentsFiled under:

Publishing powerhouse Activision Blizzard (or "A.B. Atta' Boy" to its friends) has released its fiscal quarter results for the three-month period ending September 30. Overall, the company incurred a $108 million net loss, with a bulk of that (at least $188 million) from costs related to the merger with Vivendi Games. Top games for the quarter were Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, GH: On Tour and money gusher World of Warcraft.

As part of its September quarter fiscal results, Activision Blizzard has announced that it has "authorized a stock repurchase program under which the company can repurchase up to $1 billion of the company's common stock." The company's stock price has been in decline since September (and has taken a noticeable hit today, too). While the motivations aren't known, it is likely in part to increase the earnings per share. Don't feel too bad for A.B., though. After all, Wrath of the Lich King is just around the corner.

JoystiqActivision Blizzard loses $108m in Q209, plans to repurchase $1 billion in stock originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardbreakingnewsfy09q209Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft Q2 sales up 37%, thanks to DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ubisoft-q2-sales-up-37-thanks-to-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ubisoft-q2-sales-up-37-thanks-to-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ubisoft-q2-sales-up-37-thanks-to-ds/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ubisoft released its Q2 results yesterday for the 2008-09 fiscal year. Sales totaled €175 million (US $220.24 million), beating the previous forecast of €160 (US $201.36 million) and ending up 37% higher than the same quarter last year. The financial report cited the successful launches of Soul Calibur IV in Europe and Hell's Highway, as well as sales of Imagine Teacher, My Secret World and -- Joystiq's favorite -- PlayZone Sports Party.

It's worth noting that 39% of Ubisoft's Q2 sales came from the Nintendo DS, up from 23% same time last year. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 each represent 20% of the slice, followed by the Wii at 11% and PSP/PS2 at 2% and 1%, respectively.

For Q3 holiday season, Ubisoft is expecting €500 million (US $629.25 million), up 11% from same time last year. It's also raised its forecast for the full fiscal year from €1.02 billion to €1.05billion (US $1.32b).

Source [PDF]

JoystiqUbisoft Q2 sales up 37%, thanks to DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSfy09q209ubisoftFri, 24 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[THQ: Q109 buoyed by Wall-E, but still sees $27.2m in losses]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/thq-q109-buoyed-by-wall-e-but-still-sees-27-2m-in-losses/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/thq-q109-buoyed-by-wall-e-but-still-sees-27-2m-in-losses/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/thq-q109-buoyed-by-wall-e-but-still-sees-27-2m-in-losses/#commentsFiled under:

License-rich publisher THQ reported $27.2 million in net losses for its first Fiscal 2009 quarter, ended June 30. That figure is nearly triple the net losses of Q1 2008, even though sales were $137.6 million this quarter, up from last year's $104.5 million. The little beacon of light for THQ's first quarter was Wall-E, which boasted over a million unit sales. Other notable titles include Big Beach Sports, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 and MX vs. ATV Untamed.

THQ CEO Brian Farrell pointed to September's de Blob and this holiday's Saint's Row 2 and WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009, along with a new Red Faction, Darksiders and WWE Legends of Wrestlemania, as sales boosters for the rest of the fiscal year.

JoystiqTHQ: Q109 buoyed by Wall-E, but still sees $27.2m in losses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsfy09q109thqwall-eThu, 31 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Highlights from Activision's FY08 earnings call]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/highlights-from-activisions-fy08-earnings-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/highlights-from-activisions-fy08-earnings-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/highlights-from-activisions-fy08-earnings-call/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Mega-publisher Activision held its Fiscal Year 2008 earnings call yesterday. While you can listen to it yourself, most of the gaming news came from an 8-minute section in over an hour-long conference call. Here are the highlights from the call:

Check out Activision's Family Album to learn more about the company's internal studios.

JoystiqHighlights from Activision's FY08 earnings call originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 May 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionDSfy08fy09PCPS2PS3WiiXbox-360Fri, 09 May 2008 18:30:00 EST