Joystiq

Majesco notes closures, no longer providing quantitative guidance

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST

Majesco announced today for its fourth quarter ending October 31, 2012, the company experienced a net loss of $2.7 million, compared to a $3.9 million loss the prior year. Revenues for the full year were up six percent to $132.3 million, but concluded with a net income of $4.6 million, down $2 million from last year.

The company also noted it has "implemented several initiatives to reduce fixed operating costs in favor of an outsourced, variable cost model." This included closing a studio in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and a reduction of game testing personnel in its New Jersey office.

Here's the quote from the company's financial report that will likely raise some eyebrows: "As a result of the weakness in demand for products on legacy console platforms and uncertainty around consumer adoption of the next generation of consoles, management is modifying its practice of providing quantitative fiscal year revenue and earnings guidance. Instead, for fiscal 2013, management is presenting a qualitative assessment of its outlook for financial results."

Boiled down, that means Majesco is no longer providing quantitative (a fancy word for numbers) guidance and is providing guidance based on a qualitative (um, warm fuzzy feelings?) assessment.

If this seems vaguely familiar, THQ did almost the same thing in November and its stock plummeted 50 percent the following day. Comparatively, Majesco's stock has dropped 30 percent to $0.74/share in after-hours trading. If the company doesn't pick that up, Nasdaq will be calling in a month with a delisting warning - but Majesco has dealt with that possibility on a couple occasions in the past.

Continue reading Majesco notes closures, no longer providing quantitative guidance

Majesco notes closures, no longer providing quantitative guidance originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ earnings forecast improves due to Saints Row 3 sales, DLC

JC Fletcher — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST

Are you ready for this? It's ... good news about THQ's finances. The company is revising its earnings forecast for the quarter ending March 31, now reporting expectations of "non-GAAP net sales of $160 million to $170 million, which is above the company's previous outlook of non-GAAP net sales in the range of $130 million to $150 million." Non-GAAP earnings include "adjustments" or other non-recurring costs that aren't included in the standardized GAAP numbers companies are required to report.

Unfortunately, there's still some less-than-stellar news: The report will also have to account for "approximately $30 million to $50 million" in non-cash software development charges, "resulting from decisions made related to the company's previously-announced product strategy." A THQ representative tells Joystiq that these kinds of "charges" actually reflect a shift in expected performance of certain software - including the no-longer MMO Warhammer 40K Dark Millennium.

As for why the company is doing less poorly than expected, THQ cites three factors: Saints Row the Third, of which THQ has now shipped over four million units; "higher-than-expected digital sales" ... mostly of Saints Row DLC; and "slightly" better sales of UFC Undisputed 3 than predicted.

THQ earnings forecast improves due to Saints Row 3 sales, DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamestop sees 'modest increase' to 'all-time high' sales of $9.55B in fiscal 2011

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:50:00 EST

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.

Gamestop 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.

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NPD: $3.3 billion spent outside of new boxed games across regions in Q4 2011

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

Still in its infancy of tracking and reporting games that aren't new and from a box, the NPD reported sales for the US and key European markets reached $3.33 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011 (Oct. - Dec.). The number covers "used games, game rentals, subscriptions, digital full-game downloads, social network games, downloadable content and mobile games." To be extra clear, that means "everything besides new physical copies of games sold in retail stores."

The breakdown of the overall $3.33 billion has the States with a $2.04 billion spend, and the UK, Germany, and France forking over a combined total of $1.29 billion. Despite troubles at retail, UK consumers still dropped $508 million in the region, while Germany and France saw sales of $461 million and $320 million (respectively).

NPD usually reports monthly, strictly on US game sales. "Now that we've established our Europe based service covering the UK, France, and Germany, we can begin working directly with clients to help them dissect at deeper levels how the unique market drivers specific to each country can help them understand the increasingly global nature of the games industry," said NPD Euro analyst Sam Naji.

It's still hard to contextualize the data since the (publicly shared) tracking of digital spend is still so new. We do know that in 2011 the total spend in the States was around $16.6 billion, with new boxed games at retail reaching $9.3 billion.

[Image credit: Digital Storm via Shutterstock]

Continue reading NPD: $3.3 billion spent outside of new boxed games across regions in Q4 2011

NPD: $3.3 billion spent outside of new boxed games across regions in Q4 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision revenues up in 2011, claims #1 publishing spot

JC Fletcher — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:15:00 EST

The world hasn't converted entirely to a Kickstarter-based economy yet -- Activision's fiscal 2011 earnings are up again, with net revenues at $4.76 billion dollars (vs. 2010's $4.45 billion), exceeding its most recent outlook. Activision claimed the number one console and handheld publishing spot in both its fiscal Q4 (ending December 31) and the year of 2011.

What drove this success? Like you don't know, but: Call of Duty. Modern Warfare 3 was the best-selling game in terms of dollars, and Black Ops was #5. Skylanders also contributed, as it was the #8 best-selling game in the fourth quarter, and best-selling kids' game of 2011.

Digital revenue broke records again, with over 34 percent of that $4.76 billion net coming from "digital channels." No, you aren't forgetting some breakout XBLA hit from Activision -- those digital channels are COD map packs and WoW.

Activision revenues up in 2011, claims #1 publishing spot originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ lays off 30 Play THQ employees

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EST

The business world, like the rest of the world, is a cruel and unforgiving mistress. Following the "weaker than expected" sales figures achieved by THQ's uDraw tablet during the third quarter of the 2012 fiscal year, THQ has let go 30 members of its Play THQ team; the Agoura Hills unit responsible for uDraw.

"We are taking a difficult but important step to reduce the number of employees that supported this brand," a THQ representative said in a statement to Game Informer. "30 people will be leaving the company and business unit leader Martin Good will also be leaving to pursue new opportunities outside the company."

THQ is still hopeful that the success of Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12 will pull out a fourth quarter turnaround before the end of fiscal 2012.

THQ lays off 30 Play THQ employees originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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War of the Worlds gets underway on XBLA October 26

David Hinkle — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:45:00 EST

The video game adaptation of the classic H.G. Wells novel has been pegged for an October 26 launch on Xbox Live Arcade, developer Other Ocean has announced via its Facebook page. The side-scrolling platformer War of the Worlds loosely follows Wells' book, but also introduces new characters and events.

And if you're wondering why Other Ocean sounds familiar to you, then you may have enjoyed some of the studio's most recent works: Dark Void Zero, Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection or the PSN port of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

War of the Worlds gets underway on XBLA October 26 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Fox 64 3D does a barrel roll to retail on September 9

David Hinkle — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST

Forgoing its usual Sunday release strategy, Nintendo has announced that Star Fox 64 3D will launch in North America on a Friday -- September 9, to be exact. That's only a week before the annual family trip to Canada for the Vintage Wings air show!

Your family traditions aside, Star Fox 64 3D adds improved graphics, gyroscopic controls and an overhauled multiplayer experience to the N64 classic. Oh, and it's on the 3DS, so you know what that entails.

You'll be able to read our preview of the multiplayer mode soon.

Gallery: Starfox 64 3D (Comic Con 2011)

Star Fox 64 3D does a barrel roll to retail on September 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony posts FY 2010 earnings, singles out profits in PlayStation business

Christopher Grant — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:40:00 EST

Following Monday's revised forecast - in which Sony warned of a $3.2 billion loss - the recently besieged company has issued its report for the 2010 fiscal year ended March 31. While things at Sony proper might not be entirely rosy, the good news for gamers is that the company's Networked Products and Services division, home of the PlayStation brand, drove operating income "due principally to the contribution of the game business." The roughly $171 million cost of the PSN outage occurred after the end of the fiscal year and therefore isn't reflected in these numbers.

So what specifically is responsible for the massive change in operating income, from a ¥83.3 billion loss last year to ¥35.6 billion in income this year? For the singled-out games business, it was thanks to "significant cost reductions of PlayStation 3 hardware and higher unit sales of PS3 software." You can check out the overall sales numbers in that handy slide above.

While operating income was up, overall sales in the Networked Products and Services division were largely flat, dipping 1.2% year over year. Looking at the hardware sales numbers, the PS3 sold 14.3 million units versus 13 million last year; the PSP sold 8 million versus 9.9 million last year; and the aging PS2 still managed to hit 6.4 million units versus 7.3 million last year. Forecasts for 2011 have the PS3 ticking up slightly while the PSP and PS2 continue to flag. Not mentioned here though: NGP, which should certainly help the PlayStation family move that needle.

Sony posts FY 2010 earnings, singles out profits in PlayStation business originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 May 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take-Two takes 49% more in revenue in fiscal 2011

JC Fletcher — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:30:00 EST

Take-Two let out a hearty (but metaphorical) "Yee-haw" today, reporting a 49 percent rise in net revenue year-over-year for the fiscal year that ended March 31. Thanks to hits like Red Dead Redemption (8.5 million units shipped, the company announced today!) and its Undead Nightmare expansion, and the five-million-selling NBA 2K11, Take-Two brought in $1.14 billion in net revenue. Its net income rose to $48.5 million for the fiscal year, a welcome change from the previous year's $123 million loss. With that kind of money, Take-Two should be able to survive the losses from when Duke Nukem Forever doesn't actually come out. (Kidding, mostly.)

The top earners for the fourth quarter included, in Take-Two's estimation, "NBA 2K11, Top Spin 4, Major League Baseball 2K11, Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete and Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (standalone disc)." In addition, digitally distributed content accounted for 15 percent of net revenue in the quarter, driven by Red Dead Redemption, Borderlands, Grand Theft Auto and Civilization DLC.

Take-Two takes 49% more in revenue in fiscal 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atari seeking to sell Cryptic Studios as another fiscal year ends in losses

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 17 May 2011 17:30:00 EST

In its 2010-11 fiscal year earnings report today, Atari announced it will be dropping, er, "divesting" MMO developer Cryptic Studios. The publisher accounted for the studio under its "discontinued operations" in the report. In other words, it's trying to sell Cryptic.

Overall, Atari reported a net loss of €6.2 million ($8.8 million) for this fiscal year that ended March 31, 2011 -- an admitted improvement over the €19.4 million lost in the previous fiscal year. Cryptic alone was responsible for €5.3 million ($7.5 million) in losses during fiscal 2010-11.

Representatives for Atari and Cryptic declined to offer any statements beyond those in today's financial report. Cryptic's Champions Online went free-to-play earlier this year, and the studio is currently working on a Neverwinter MMO and "Season 4" of Star Trek Online. Atari purchased the developer in 2008 during an optimistic period for the publisher.

Atari seeking to sell Cryptic Studios as another fiscal year ends in losses originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft continues to just dance around fiscal year losses

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:14:00 EST

A year ago, as Ubisoft reported net losses of €43.671 million for its 2009-10 fiscal year (ending, March 31, 2010), CEO Yves Guillemot brushed aside concern, saying, "We forecast a return to profitable growth in 2010-11." Well, here we are -- and Ubisoft isn't exactly basking in the sun.

For the 2010-11 fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, the publisher's net losses slumped further to €52.120 million (about $74 million). Yet Guillemot again played the role of the optimistic fortuneteller as he looked to the company to "post further growth in both sales and current operating income in 2011-12 and 2012-13." (Notice how he didn't drop the P-word this time.)

He put a positive spin on the 2010-11 fiscal year, too, observing "a sharp upturn in revenue." Indeed, sales were up 19 percent over the previous fiscal year to €1.039 billion. In addition to "another success" with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Guillemot attributed much of the sales growth to a rebounding casual market, which Ubisoft dominated with its (just) dance game segment, as well as strong support for the Kinect and 3DS launches. Notably, 38 percent of the publisher's game sales over the 12-month period came from Wii titles.

Ultimately, Ubisoft's bottom line suffered from reorganization costs, which amounted to €95.9 million in non-recurring charges, including unspecified project terminations (so, Am I Alive?). Presumably, if Ubisoft is now appropriately restructured, it can focus more effectively on making successful products again. "For example," Guillemot offered, "we plan to launch a free-to-play world based on our highly popular franchise for young girls, Imagine."

Ubisoft continues to just dance around fiscal year losses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 May 2011 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Namco Bandai climbs out of the red with pair of million-sellers

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 10 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Namco Bandai's "Content" division -- which includes both home-console and arcade games, in addition to music and video products -- increased sales just enough to post a modest operating income of ¥3.09 billion ($38.5 million). In turn, the company turned around from the previous fiscal year's net loss to scrounge up ¥3.78 billion ($46.9 million) in profit.

The publisher put out 88 games (including individual iterations of multiplatform titles) across six systems, selling roughly 20.9 million software units in the 12-month period. Its efforts were focused primarily on handheld releases, with 30 games on DS -- plus three more for the 3DS launch -- and 29 for PSP. The company's two bestselling titles during the fiscal year, however, were for home consoles: 2009's still-kicking Tekken 6 accounted for 1.15 million unit sales on PS3 and Xbox 360 in the US alone, and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 sold 1.1M units worldwide on those same consoles, according to the company's financial highlights document [PDF].

While Naruto performed above initial expectations, Enslaved failed to muster numbers in line with even the revised sales forecast reset by Namco Bandai in November. Ninja Theory's action-adventure had to settle for 730,000 units sold across PS3 and 360, falling short of the hoped-for 800K mark. As for Splatterhouse and Majin, the publisher did not report their individual sales, as both titles' performances seemingly fell below 400K units (Namco Bandai's cutoff line for "Main Game Titles," as they appear in the financial highlights report).

For the current fiscal year, which began April 1, Namco Bandai forecasts continued gains resulting in ¥8 billion in profit. The publisher has plans to release 90 games during the period, including 26 titles bound for PS3. Props to anyone that can name three of them! (No googling.)

Namco Bandai climbs out of the red with pair of million-sellers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom profits soar with help from record AAA game sales

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

Good ol' video games came through for Capcom over the twelve months ending March 31, 2011. The company reported "a history-making milestone" of five million-seller titles in the period, with Monster Hunter Freedom 3 (4.6 million units shipped) leading the pack. Additionally, Dead Rising 2 (2.2M units), Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2M units), Super Street Fighter IV (1.6M units) and Lost Planet 2 (1.5M units) racked up high shipment numbers, and each surpassed the million-mark in pure sales.

In all, net sales in Capcom's "Consumer Online Games" division increased 60.8 percent over the previous fiscal year to ¥70.3 billion (about $873 million). But the sales success of so-called "major titles" wasn't the only contributing factor in Capcom's record bottom line for a fiscal year, which showed a net income increase of 257.6 percent over the previous year to ¥7.75 billion -- roughly $96.3 million in profit!

Despite reported losses of ¥1.45 billion due to restructuring and another ¥105 million filed under "disaster" -- the Great East Japan Earthquake knocked out ten of Capcom's arcades -- all of the company's business units recorded operating income gains for the year. Notably, the "Mobile Contents" division enjoyed some highlights, with downloads of The Smurfs' Village Facebook game exceeding expectations "by far" and the Japan-only iPhone version of Ghost Trick faring "well."

Capcom tempered its jubilation, however, noting that the forecast for the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2012) calls for "lower sales and earnings." The company anticipates "immeasurable economic losses" in Japan due to the earthquake and its aftermath, as well as a "downturn in consumer confidence" in the game industry at large -- not to mention Capcom's weaker offering of AAA titles this year. Dead Rising 2 ... again?

"We will focus more than ever before on our global operations as the environment surrounding the industry rapidly changes," Capcom said, observing that "the rise of social games [is] fueling the growth of new competitors in the industry."

Capcom profits soar with help from record AAA game sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mass Effect 3 delayed to adjust mechanics for 'larger market opportunity'

Justin McElroy — Wed, 04 May 2011 18:32:00 EST

As saddened as we were by the news that Mass Effect 3 wouldn't reach us until next year, after an EA earnings call today we're hovering between befuddled and intrigued.

When asked about the delay, EA boss John Riccitiello said, "Essentially, step by step, [BioWare is] adjusting some of the gameplay mechanics and some of the features that you'll see at E3 that can put this into a genre equivalent of shooter-meets-RPG, and essentially address a far larger market opportunity than Mass Effect 1 did and Mass Effect 2 began to approach."

... So what does that mean? Well, mentioning that Mass Effect 2 was closer to what EA's targeting would seem to indicate more of an emphasis on action. But if the company's looking for "a larger market opportunity" a multiplayer component seems a surefire way to achieve that.

Here's hoping we remember to check this post after E3 to feel either really smart or a little sheepish about our prognosticating. Also, hello future us! Hope you're having a good summer!

Mass Effect 3 delayed to adjust mechanics for 'larger market opportunity' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 May 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA grows digital sales in Q4, stems losses for fiscal year

Justin McElroy — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:50:00 EST

EA enjoyed solid growth in the final quarter of its 2011 fiscal year (ending March 31), thanks in large part to a bump in digital revenue. Digital sales were up $67 million from the same period a year ago to $211 million. Good ol' boxed games weren't slouching though, as packaged goods revenue increased $44 million up to $838 million. In all, EA rebounded from its rough Q3 to record $151 million in profit during the fiscal fourth quarter.

The engine for that growth was a surprisingly impressive quarterly lineup for the company. Seven of its titles from fiscal Q4 have surpassed 1 million units shipped, with Crysis 2, Dead Space 2 and Dragon Age 2 all over the 2-million-shipped mark. DLC for those titles (like Dead Space 2's "Severed" add-on) was the cornerstone of digital profits, as well. Over its entire 2011 fiscal year, EA shipped 12 million units of FIFA 11, 7 million copies of Bad Company 2 (released at the tail end of FY10), and five million each of Medal of Honor, Hot Pursuit and Madden 11.

But it seems that, in the grand scheme, these titles weren't enough to alter EA's fortunes for the fiscal year, which ended in a $267 million loss for the company. We suppose there's still a bit of a silver lining, however -- those losses would seem to sting considerably less than the $677 million lost by EA just one year prior.

EA grows digital sales in Q4, stems losses for fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamestop sees 'all-time high' sales of $9.47B for fiscal 2010

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST

GameStop is gonna need a bigger moneybin, as the company reported "all-time high" sales of $9.47 billion for the 2010 fiscal year (ending January 29, 2011), with a record net profit of $408 million. During the fourth quarter, the company also saw a 4.8 percent increase in sales to $3.69 billion, with a 10 percent increase in net earnings to $237.8 million.

During the GameStop investors call, executives stated they would use information on customer purchases extracted from from the PowerUp Rewards program to help determine the 200 locations that will be shut down over the next year due to overlap. It's not all bad news: that same information will be used to open 200 stores "focusing on underserviced markets." GameStop also plans to "pursue opportunistic growth internationally."

The biggest sign that GameStop is doing its best to prepare for the inevitable was the 61 percent increase in "console and PC digital offerings," which brought in $290 million during the year.

Gamestop sees 'all-time high' sales of $9.47B for fiscal 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision reports fiscal 2010 earnings, digital sales up 20%

Randy Nelson — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST

Publishing giant Activision Blizzard has dropped some hard numbers regarding its business performance for its fiscal 2010 year, which ended December 31. The company reports net revenue for the year reached $4.45 billion, up from $4.28 billion in 2009. (Though revenue recorded in the fourth quarter alone was just $1.43 billion, down from $1.56 billion during the same period the year before.)

The standout news is that $1.5 billion of annual revenue came from digital sales, which the company says are up 20 percent over 2009 -- and up 40 percent in Q4 alone. According to the report, digital-based revenue was "driven by increased sales of Activision Publishing's Call of Duty map packs and value-added services for Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft," which CEO Bobby Kotick attributed in part to "significantly enhanced user activity and engagement for our expanding online communities."

Selling 1.4 million copies of the first Black Ops map pack on a single platform within 24 hours of its release is certainly what we'd call "user activity."

Activision reports fiscal 2010 earnings, digital sales up 20% originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mama Mia! Majesco cooks up $2.1 million fiscal-year loss

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:00:00 EST

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.

Mama 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.

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Take-Two records $1.16 billion in revenue over last fiscal year, regains profitability

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:01:00 EST

Take-Two Interactive, publisher of this year's Red Dead Redemption and Civilization V, among others, today announced net revenue earnings of $1.16 billion for the 12 months ending October 31, 2010, a 65-percent growth over the previous fiscal year's revenues. In all, after operating expenses and taxes, Take-Two earned $42.6 million in profit for the year -- quite a turnaround from the $140.5 million hole (read: net loss) it dug itself last fiscal year. Software sales slump, what now?

In its fourth quarter alone (August-October), Take-Two brought in $373.7 million in revenue, roughly 32 percent more than in the same period in 2009, working out to $53.8 million in income for the close-out quarter. "We have achieved our goal of profitability in a year without a new release of Grand Theft Auto," boasted soon to be ex-CEO Ben Feder, citing Red Dead Redemption and NBA 2K11, "as well as strong sales of catalog titles and digitally-delivered content," as key to the publisher's success.

Take-Two is currently in the midst of a five-month "transition period," having changed its fiscal calendar to now begin April 1 (instead of Nov. 1). Chairman Strauss Zelnick said the company will be focused on "newer areas of the interactive entertainment business, such as digitally-delivered content and the expanding Asian and Latin American markets" through the end of 2010.

Take-Two records $1.16 billion in revenue over last fiscal year, regains profitability originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Interactive likely to invest less in console games following $234M loss

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:30:00 EST

Losing $234 million over the course of 12 months is pretty unimaginable to most individuals. For Disney, it's not such a big deal, especially when that loss is recorded by just one of its six company divisions -- the other five all profited over the last fiscal year (ending October 2, 2010), including its Media Networks, which pulled in more than $5 billion in operating income (profit excluding interest payments and income taxes). Unfortunately for gamers, that one bad division was Interactive Media. Uh-oh.

"On one side we've got a collection of games businesses," Disney CEO Bob Iger explained of the Interactive Media division to investors during a call this week, "and the other side we have a collection of largely dot-com businesses." For both the fourth quarter and entire fiscal year, Interactive's revenues actually increased marginally over the previous year's earnings, and "operating results" were "improved" (meaning: the division lost less money -- perhaps unimaginably -- in fiscal 2010 than in the previous fiscal year). Still, when you end up $234 million in the hole, something's gotta change. A new Toy Story game (the division's big breadwinner for the year) can't be released every year, after all.

Reflecting on a "pretty big shift" in the games industry, in which "everything from mobile apps to social networking games" has become a player, Iger said of Interactive, "It's our goal not only to be profitable, but obviously to get there by shifting our investment and reducing our investment, too." You know what that means: "We probably will end up investing less on the console side than we have because of the shift we're seeing in consumption [...] Consumers are obviously spending time playing games -- from casual games online to mobile apps to social networking to console -- and we felt all along that we need to be where the consumer are [...] we want to be there." No doubt.

Quick -- everybody go buy Split/Second before it's too late! Like, for real this time.

Disney Interactive likely to invest less in console games following $234M loss originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puzzle Quest 2 embarks on a journey to PSP later this year

David Hinkle — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Aww, poor PSP -- it's like you've been sitting out in the rain, looking through the window at all of the other consoles, laughing and having a good time together with Puzzle Quest 2. Well, come on in, buddy! You've finally been invited to the party.

IGN reports that Sony's handheld will indeed receive a port of Puzzle Quest 2, launching "towards the end of 2010." Oddly enough, the IGN piece mentions the game will be available for download via PSN and makes no mention of a UMD release. We've gone ahead and contacted the game's publisher, D3, for clarification.

Along with extreme tardiness, the PSP port brings with it a new game mode called Elite. Here, the difficulty of enemies has been ramped up, naturally yielding better rewards for players and more chances to throw your PSP to the ground in frustration.

Puzzle Quest 2 embarks on a journey to PSP later this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBLM sales surpassed Live subscriptions as Microsoft Xbox Div. income grew in fiscal year

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Microsoft has posted financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter and year, which ended June 30. The Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD), of which the Xbox 360 and PC gaming business are a part of, posted revenues of $1.6 billion for the quarter, up from $1.25 billion during the same period last year. Revenue exclusive to the Xbox and PC gaming business was up to $228 million, a 30 percent increase.

EDD also posted an operating loss of $172 million, which grew for the $141 million recorded during the same quarter last year. Factors contributing to the loss included increased marketing costs, increased third-party sales on Xbox Live Marketplace and the discontinuation of the KIN phone.

Microsoft's full fiscal year 2010 report paints a brighter picture, with the EDD posting an operating income of $679 million, up from $108 million in fiscal 2009, an increase of 528 percent. The increased income was due primarily to reduced operating expenses. Revenue costs also decreased $528 million, thanks largely to lower Xbox 360 production costs. Fiscal 2010 revenues were essentially flat at just over $8 billion.

Additionally, Microsoft moved 1.5 million Xbox 360 consoles during the quarter, compared to 1.2 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. In all, 10.3 million consoles were sold in fiscal 2010, down from 11.2 million the previous year. Meanwhile, Xbox Live now has 25 million members, and our cohorts at Engadget report that Xbox Live Marketplace revenue has exceeded Xbox Live subscription revenue for the first time.

XBLM sales surpassed Live subscriptions as Microsoft Xbox Div. income grew in fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA Sports MMA grapples with October 19 launch date

David Hinkle — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:49:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Peter Moore took pause during the EA E3 keynote to detail a launch date for its UFC competitor, EA Sports MMA: October 19. On top of a release date, Moore revealed that competitors Randy Couture and Fedor Emelianeko will battle for box art real estate -- both will be featured on the game's cover.

EA Sports MMA grapples with October 19 launch date originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood stalks retail on November 16

David Hinkle — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:43:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Are you anxious to get back into the Animus and step in the shoes of everyone's favorite paisano assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze? Ubisoft has announced Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's release date: November 16. The news was slapped on the end of the game's E3 trailer, which emerged on YouTube earlier today. You can watch it past the break.

Taking place years after the events of Assassin's Creed 2, Brotherhood tasks players with revitalizing Rome, circa 1503. Oh, and killing lots of dudes. It wouldn't be an Assassin's Creed game otherwise, right?

Continue reading Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood stalks retail on November 16

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood stalks retail on November 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atari reduces losses in fiscal year, increases online revenue

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:20:00 EST

Atari has posted its financial results for its fiscal year 2009 (ending March 31), and, while the company still reported a loss, it's a definite improvement over last year. The company managed an operating loss of €22 million ($26.84 million) for the fiscal year, a substantial improvement over the previous year's operating loss of €68.9 million ($84.05 million). Overall, net losses for last fiscal year totaled just €19.4 million ($23.66 million), a huge improvement over the previous year's net loss of €221.9 million ($270.68 million). (It should be noted, however, that the sale of Atari's European distribution business to Namco Bandai was responsible for €90.8 million ($110.76 million) of the previous year's loss.)

For fiscal 2009, Atari posted overall revenues of €115.7 million ($141.13 million), down from €136.4 million ($166.38 million) the previous year. Revenue was fueled by growth in digital distribution sales and online game subscriptions, totaling €12.5 million ($15.28 million); a jump of some €9.9 million ($12.08 million) over last year. Star Trek Online and Champions Online were specifically name-dropped as driving forces in this area. Meanwhile, Atari's new focus on fewer, more profitable titles caused retail revenues to fall to €103.2 million ($125.88 million), a decline of €30.6 million ($37.33 million) over the previous year.

Atari hopes to show "considerable improvement" in operating income in fiscal 2010 (Apirl 2010 - March 2011), which will be led by new installments of Backyard Sports (one out this week and one this holiday), Test Drive Unlimited 2 (in September) and The Witcher 2 (next spring). Additionally, the company plans to release "a series of retail, XBLA, PSN and PC download releases based upon Atari's classic video game brands in the second half of the year." Atari will also release "numerous casual and social online game releases" based on its well-known brands.

[Via Big Download]

Source - Atari Second Half and Full Year 2009/2010 consolidated results (PDF)

Atari reduces losses in fiscal year, increases online revenue originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario, Sonic, and Profits in Sega's fiscal 2010

JC Fletcher — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:28:00 EST

Despite recent troubles in the North American and European branches, Sega overall had a good fiscal 2010, which ended March 31, financially speaking. The company as a whole saw its operating income rise to ¥36.7 billion ($397 million), a huge increase over fiscal 2009's operating income of 8.3 billion ($89.8 million). Operating income refers to profits minus expenses incurred in running the company -- in case you wondered why we picked up on that random statistic.

The consumer games division made ¥6.3 billion ($68.2 million) in operating income, returning to profitability despite a year-over-year drop of 7.5%. The profits in this division were driven by ridiculously strong sales of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (6.53 million copies!), as well as million-plus sellers Aliens vs. Predator (1.69 million), Bayonetta (1.35 million), and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (1.07 million).

Source [PDF] - Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2010

[Via Andriasang]

Mario, Sonic, and Profits in Sega's fiscal 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 May 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops brings the Cold War to Wii Nov. 9

David Hinkle — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:36:00 EST

Trigger finger looking fat and out of shape, vegging out on the couch watching Golden Girls reruns? Well, it better shape up this fall, because even-year developer Treyarch's latest entry in the Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Black Ops, is coming to the Wii on November 9, Eurogamer reports. This will be Treyarch's fourth Call of Duty Wii title, after 2006's Call of Duty 3, 2008's Call of Duty: World at War, and 2009's Modern Warfare - Reflex, a Wii-ificiation of Infinity Ward's 2007 classic.

The confirmation comes from an Activision rep who stated "Black Ops will be available on all four platforms, PS3, X360, PC and Wii, on 9th November" - pretty straightforward, eh? There wasn't any other news on the Wii version, so we contacted Activision directly which confirmed the Wii release but, sadly, couldn't offer much else in the way of details.

Call of Duty: Black Ops brings the Cold War to Wii Nov. 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Namco Bandai game segment records annual losses ... but Ben 10 sales soar!

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:58:00 EST

Namco Bandai's "Content" segment, which combines its video game software and arcade machine products, recorded ¥6.86 billion ($74.68 million) in operating losses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. The division proved the most costly for the company, which also runs a successful "Toys & Hobby" segment, in addition to several other businesses.

Overall, Namco Bandai suffered ¥29.08 billion ($317.28 million) in net losses for fiscal 2010, but the company forecasts a modest turnaround in net income of ¥4.5 billion ($49.1 million) for the current fiscal year. The games segment, which this fiscal year includes the previously separate "Visual and Music Content" division, is forecast to post ¥3.5 billion ($38.19 million) in operating income over the next four quarters; aided by an estimated 90 game releases, which are predicted to bring in ¥88 billion ($960 million) in sales.

In fiscal 2010, Namco Bandai software sales, which encompassed 86 titles (or 225, if you're counting localized versions), totaled 22.737 million units and ¥77 billion ($840 million); with portable games accounting for a significant 9.701 million units sold. Multiplatform versions of Ben 10 Alien Force and its sequel, Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks, in the US and Europe during the fiscal year, combined to sell 1.89 million copies alone. The console version of Tekken 6 was the publisher's only title to move more units than either of those two Ben 10 games. A third Ben 10 title, Protector of the Earth, added another 610,000 units sold in the fiscal year.

Across all Namco Bandai products, "Ben 10" the franchise racked up ¥17.9 billion ($195.3 million) in sales. Not quite Mobile Suit Gundman numbers (¥34.6 billion), but still.

Head past the break for the complete list of Namco Bandai's top-10 bestsellers and sales distribution by platform.

Continue reading Namco Bandai game segment records annual losses ... but Ben 10 sales soar!

Namco Bandai game segment records annual losses ... but Ben 10 sales soar! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 May 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom calls earnings 'sluggish' over last fiscal year

JC Fletcher — Fri, 07 May 2010 09:39:00 EST

Usually, a company's financial results press release is just called "Financial results for [insert time period]" or something equally neutral, but Capcom went ahead and put "sluggish" in its own headline to describe its fiscal year ending March 31. The publisher's net sales for the year were ¥66.84 billion ($751.35 million), down 27.3 percent from the previous fiscal year, and net income plummeted 73.1 percent year-over-year to just ¥2.17 billion ($24.36 million).

Capcom blamed the financial decline on the delays of Lost Planet 2, Super Street Fighter IV and Monster Hunter Tri to the current fiscal year, though the company previously took these delays into account in a revised earnings forecast last December. (On the bright side, actual nets sales did surpass the predicted figures by about ¥1.84 billion.) In addition to the delays, earnings suffered from sluggish sales of Dark Void, Bionic Commando and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, which all failed to meet Capcom's expectations.

Capcom calls earnings 'sluggish' over last fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 May 2010 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo profits down in last fiscal year, but not out

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:24:00 EST

As expected, Nintendo recorded an annual decline in profits in its last fiscal year (ending March 31), depositing a paltry ¥230 billion (about $2.45 billion) into its bank account. This is the company's first year-over-year profit lapse in six years, and Nintendo expects further decline in the current fiscal year, forecasting a measly ¥200 billion ($2.13 billion) in profits over the next four quarters. If only Nintendo could summon consumers to drive another year in profits like the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, when the company made ¥279.1 billion ($2.95 billion). It's all so tragic.

To combat making only slightly less obscene amounts of money this fiscal year (April 2010 - March 2011), Nintendo will release its 3DS handheld, Pokémon Black and White, Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2. The company's new strategy: "to achieve the ultimate worldwide objective of 'must-have for everyone' rather than 'must-have for every family.'" Conveniently, this strategy suggests that the Wii Vitality Sensor, which is also scheduled for release in the coming months, need only be supported by a single, heartfelt purchase to be successful. (Oh, who are we kidding -- how many units has Wii Fit sold?)

Summing up Nintendo's fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, the DS sold 27.1 million units, bringing its global sales total to 128.9 million units. (The company has high hopes for continued sales of DS models, including the 3DS, as it forecasts general platform sales of around 30 million units this fiscal year.) Additionally, the Wii moved 20.53 million units, bringing its lifetime sales total to 70.93 million units through the last fiscal year. (Nintendo expects to sell around 18 million Wii units this fiscal year.) Finally, software sales were highlighted by New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which sold 14.7 million units worldwide last fiscal year, following its launch in November.

Source [PDF] -- Earnings Release: Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2010 [Nintendo]

Nintendo profits down in last fiscal year, but not out originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ records turnaround fiscal year, still loses $9m

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:30:00 EST

THQ lost $9.6 million in its 2010 fiscal year (ending March 31), but that's nothing compared to the $431.1 million it lost the previous fiscal year. Yeah, we'd say this qualifies as a decent start in the company's proposed turnaround. THQ's software sales rose 8 percent this past fiscal year, which begin in April 2009, to $899.1 million, having established, as CEO Brian Farrell puts it, "three major core game franchises" in UFC, Darksiders and Red Faction.

In a conference call this afternoon, Farrell described fiscal 2010 as the company's turnaround year. Fiscal 2011 will be its "rebuilding" year, according to the CEO, and then 2012 should see the establishment of the fully operational and financially profitable "New THQ."

THQ records turnaround fiscal year, still loses $9m originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega expects profits in fiscal Q4 2010 forecast

David Hinkle — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST

Sega recently posted quite the surprise for its investors: a revised earnings forecast. In an interesting turn of events, Sega has foregone the doom and gloom of having to admit it will likely earn less money during its Q4 2010 forecast -- the period between December 2009 and March 2010 -- for something a bit more on the cheery side: profits!

First, Sega estimates net sales of ¥380 billion ($4.08 billion), a 9.5 percent decline from its previous estimate of ¥420 billion ($4.51 billion) -- wait, we thought we had good news in here? Aha! Here it is: net income.

Sega previously forecast net income of ¥15 billion ($161 million), but has now adjusted that to ¥18 billion ($193 million). This spontaneous spike in cash money is attributed to "improved profit margins in the pachislot and pachinko machine business and amusement machine business." We imagine sales of Bayonetta and Aliens vs Predator also helped.

And in case you're wondering what the difference between net sales and net income is: Net sales accounts for the total profits a company makes based on the products it sells, while net income takes into account net sales and other operating costs, such as licensing fees and taxes.

[Via GameSpot]

Sega expects profits in fiscal Q4 2010 forecast originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop enjoys $9.08 billion in sales in FY2009, $377 million profit

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST

GameStop made bank even in the bad economy. Reporting its fourth quarter and fiscal 2009 (ending January 20, 2010) results today, the retail juggernaut revealed it had $3.52 billion and $9.08 billion in sales during the quarter and full year, respectively. As for profits -- after taxes, depreciation, amortization, et al. -- the company earned $215.9 million for the quarter and $377.3 million for the year.

CEO Daniel DeMatteo noted it was the company's second highest earnings year, "in spite of the weak worldwide economic environment" -- no kidding. New software sales accounted for 41.1 percent ($3.7 billion) of the company's total sales, while the sweet recycled nectar of used games came in second with 26.4 percent ($2.4 billion) -- the rest was new hardware and "other." GameStop expects its earnings to grow 14 to 18 percent in the coming year.

GameStop enjoys $9.08 billion in sales in FY2009, $377 million profit originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST

Today Activision Blizzard reported the financial results of its December quarter and the entire 2009 calendar year. For the year, Activision recorded a net income of $113 million, a modest turnaround from the $107 million in net losses for the company in 2008. Led by sales of Modern Warfare 2, all signs -- at least, this one -- pointed to an outstanding Q4 for the publisher. However, figures released today indicate that Activision actually posted a $286 million net loss during the period.

"Despite these challenging times, in 2010 we remain focused on expanding operating margins by growing our high-margin digital/online revenues, directing our resources to the largest and most profitable opportunities and realizing operational efficiencies globally," CEO Bobby Kotick said. "In calendar year 2010, we expect our net earnings and operating margin growth will be driven by our product slate that includes Blizzard Entertainment's Starcraft II and the World of Warcraft expansion pack, Cataclysm, as well as a diversified lineup based on Activision Publishing's best-selling franchises including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk, together with other well-known titles such as True Crime, Spider-Man and Bakugan."

While few details were give about Activision's pending slate of sequels, spinoffs and possible reboots, Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, did share a few words about the next True Crime game. "We'll be releasing a game in the $4 billion action genre, based on our True Crime franchise," Griffith said. "The game blends intense Hollywood-style driving with martial arts combat and shootouts to deliver an Asian cinema-inspired action thriller. This is a big open-world action game that looks especially strong." Griffith also confirmed that a new 007 game is still in the works for 2010.

Additionally, Activision noted that two new IPs are in development for its 2010 lineup and assured that additional DLC will continue to be released for Guitar Hero 5 (and presumably Band Hero), as well as for DJ Hero. The next installments in both music game franchises, Guitar Hero and DJ Hero, are due in "the back half of the year," according Griffith. Activision also announced that it has ceased developing new Guitar Hero games for the PlayStation 2 platform. Aw, shucks.

Activision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hooray! UK retailer deems Q4 release schedule 'sensible'

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Speaking with GI.biz, UK retailer SimplyGames.com's director Neil Muspratt deems that the fourth quarter's software release schedule is the "most sensibly divided" one he's seen in 20 years. He believes that Modern Warfare 2 scared a significant number of games out of the Q4 arena, but still thinks the quarter will be important in terms of increasing the install base of all three major consoles following the recent price drops.

Muspratt, stating the obvious, notes that the benefit of console sales being the focus for the rest of this year is that "there will be a wider audience for software" in 2010. He adds that "great products ... sell through regardless" of the time of year. We totally agree with Muspratt that Q4 2009 has an incredibly sensible release schedule. However, the first half of next year is probably the most ridiculous we've seen in 20 years.

Hooray! UK retailer deems Q4 release schedule 'sensible' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insomniac not backing down from crowded pre-holiday release

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:40:00 EST

If we were game developers, we'd be appropriately terrified of dropping our precious labors of love into the pre-holiday retail arena -- a battlefield filled with two-ton gorillas like Assassin's Creed 2 and Modern Warfare 2. Still, Insomniac Games hasn't thought twice about the late 2009 release date of Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time -- nearly all of the company's titles hit store shelves in late fall, after all.

In an interview with GamesIndustry, Insomniac director of marketing and communications Ryan Schneider explained the company has "had a lot of success" dropping its games around November. He went on to declare, "The Holiday season is still a great time to release a title." You know what else is a great time to release a title? Right now. The dust on our gaming consoles has actually started to collect its own dust.

Insomniac not backing down from crowded pre-holiday release originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Strauss Zelnick discusses Q4 release assault, ponders 'chicken and egg' of it

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST

Thursday 18 June

160-something lbs. Still need to work off that extra E3 weight. LACC food is sooo delish!

Food consumed today:
Nutri-Grain bar. Steak with hollandaise. One of those plasmid drinks we're thinking of tying into BioShock 2.

Late afternoon. New York: my Take-Two office. Just read the VentureBeat interview published yesterday about me. Really hate that picture they used, I'm totally not working my chiseled features. Anyway, they asked me about delaying Red Dead Redemption and Mafia 2. I mean, come on, the holiday season is already packed. People will have even less cash this year. Maybe we'll get lucky and pull a GTA IV release with one of those titles? Haha, Diary. I know, we're not gonna get that lucky.

Anyway, they also asked me about that EEDAR report, which says games sell better in the fourth quarter. That's good and all, but couldn't it be argued that it's a "chicken and egg problem"? Like, people buy during the holiday because that's when games come out? We'll try something a little different. Oh well, that's enough philosophy for one day. Good night, Diary.

Strauss Zelnick discusses Q4 release assault, ponders 'chicken and egg' of it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EEDAR analyst apologizes for his report supporting the Q4 wallet drain

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:00:00 EST

The latest report from research company EEDAR reveals that, despite complaints from gamers that publishers are overloading the fourth quarter every year, well-reviewed titles typically perform 15-20 percent better than games with high Metacritic released in the "off season." Don't worry, though, we expressed our discontent by calling EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich and yelling, "What are you doing!? You're ruining everything!" Divnich apologized and said he uses GameFly to mitigate his own personal financial damage during the holidays. He wishes the numbers would show something different and recognizes a core gamer would need to increase their gaming budget by 200% during the holidays to keep up.

Divnich also wanted us to note that, despite it being widely reported that his research states the PS3's library has the highest percentage of titles with an 85 or higher Metacritic score, the Xbox 360 has a larger quantity of such titles overall. Whatever, we've found a scapegoat for our empty wallets during the holidays. Divnich is the first phone call we're making to hit up for cash.

EEDAR analyst apologizes for his report supporting the Q4 wallet drain originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take-Two: GTA franchise made $710 million this year

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:53:00 EST

Filed under: Business

In a conference call today following the release of Take-Two's quarterly report, CFO Lainie Goldstein revealed the GTA franchise brought in $710 million so far this year. According to GameDaily, that aforementioned chunk of ducats would account for about 60% of the company's publishing sales. In Q4, GTA brought in $40 million, which is about 17% of the company's sales.

So ... yeah. The newsflash is GTA makes lots of money for Take-Two, which clearly is a huge shock to us all. Guess it's a good thing the company locked down the Rockstar talent then, huh?

Take-Two: GTA franchise made $710 million this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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