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[Dustforce devs explain what they earned, what they learned]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/dustforce-devs-explain-what-they-earned-what-they-learned/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/dustforce-devs-explain-what-they-earned-what-they-learned/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/dustforce-devs-explain-what-they-earned-what-they-learned/#comments Dustforce dev details struggles to make money despite successDeveloper Hitbox Studios has cracked open the financial books on Dustforce, revealing just how much the indie release made. After the game's launch in January of 2012 and some major sales with Steam and the Humble Bundle, Dustforce has earned a total of $668,490 in revenue.

That may sound profitable, but that's before taxes, Valve's take, and other fees are removed, which brings the total down to $489,404. Removing various software and hardware costs, accounting fees, and other expenses lowers it even further to $295,000, says Hitbox. In the end, for every $10 copy of the game sold, Hitbox earned $4.41 - which the studio's (now four) developers must split.

Dustforce began with a $0 budget, as a game prototype made with GameMaker. After an IndiePub competition win, Hitbox was able to budget the $100,000 prize for the game's development, which it says was enough to support the staff of three for about a year and a half.

Hitbox's Terence Lee says the release was ultimately worth it. The game's success and "the pleasure of making Dustforce was worth far more than the opportunity cost of working somewhere else." He calls the process a "fantastic foundation for us as a studio," providing experience and funds for work on Hitbox's next title, an FPS called Spire.

JoystiqDustforce devs explain what they earned, what they learned originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dustforcefinancesgamehitbox-studioshumble-bundleindiemacmoneypcprofitrevenueWed, 17 Apr 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA's Digital EVP and Playfish co-founder departs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eas-digital-evp-and-playfish-co-founder-departs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eas-digital-evp-and-playfish-co-founder-departs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eas-digital-evp-and-playfish-co-founder-departs/#comments EA's Digital EVP and Playfish cofounder departsKristian Segerstrale has left Electronic Arts, where he served as the head of the EA Digital team and was responsible for overseeing most of EA's games-as-services, including Sim City Social. Segerstrale had joined the company as a co-founder of Playfish, which EA picked up about four years ago for $300 million. The division has been leaking executives, with two of Playfish's other co-founders leaving last year.

With Segerstrale's departure, EA Digital will be transferred under the direction of good old Peter Moore, who will now oversee all of EA's revenue groups, including Global Publishing, Global Media Solutions, Worldwide Customer Experience, and Mobile and Social Publishing. That's a lot of responsibility already, but you know Peter - he can always do Moore.

JoystiqEA's Digital EVP and Playfish co-founder departs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-digitalexecutiveexecutive-vpKristian-Segerstralepcpeter-mooreplayfishrevenuesocialThu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mojang revenue hits $237 million in 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/mojang-revenue-hits-237-million-in-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/mojang-revenue-hits-237-million-in-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/mojang-revenue-hits-237-million-in-2012/#comments We already knew that 2012 was a particularly legit year for Minecraft maker Mojang, what with its principle product being purchased over 15 million times and everything, but now we have a better idea of what success like that translates to in dollars. Well, technically in krona and then translated again into dollars, but whatever.

Overall, Mojang's revenue for 2012 tallied up at SEK 1.5 billion, or $237.84 million at current exchange rates, according to GamesIndustry's translation of Swedish publication IT24. Nearly half of that revenue (SEK 640 million/$101.48 million) was derived from the collection of license fees. Meanwhile, pre-tax profits were reported at SEK 580 million ($91.96 million), although no post-taxes/net income figures were provided.

One of Mojang's biggest hurdles is the non-universal nature of its online payment system, CEO Carl Manneh told IT24: "We have so many markets where we are not very strong yet," he said, "where many play Minecraft but few have bought it simply because you can't use our online payment solution there. That's something we'll get our hands to during 2013."

JoystiqMojang revenue hits $237 million in 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidCarl-MannehfinancialsiosipadiphonemacmicrosoftMinecraftmobileMojangpcrevenuexboxSat, 02 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo franchise up to 46 million games sold worldwide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/#comments Halo has made 'nearly' $3 billion in sales, 46 million units sold worldwideThe Halo franchise is up to 46 million games sold worldwide. Microsoft gave us the impressive figure today ahead of the launch of Halo 4, which was recently revealed as comfortably Microsoft's most expensive game to date.

According to Microsoft, Halo has so far generated $3 billion in revenue, there are 120 million pieces of user-generated content in Halo 3 to date, and 5 billion hours have been logged into Halo games via Xbox Live. We won't speculate on what all these figures may rise to following Halo 4's release next week.

JoystiqHalo franchise up to 46 million games sold worldwide originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo-3halo-4microsoftphil-spencerrevenuesalesxboxWed, 31 Oct 2012 09:30:00 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[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[Zynga reports record quarterly revenue, profits still down year-over-year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/zynga-reports-record-quarterly-revenue-profits-still-down-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/zynga-reports-record-quarterly-revenue-profits-still-down-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/zynga-reports-record-quarterly-revenue-profits-still-down-year/#comments Never underestimate the addictive power of microtransaction infused farms, apparently, as Zynga has disclosed a record quarter for the period between July 1 and September 30: Over $306 million, an 80 percent increase in revenue over that same period in 2010. The social megalith attributes the increase in revenue to the successful launches of Adventure World and the Facebook version of Words with Friends, which took place during this quarter.

Revenue is a very different beast than profit, however, where Zynga continues to decline. Following a 95 percent year-over-year profit decrease in Q2, the SEC filing shows a 54 percent decrease year-over-year in Q3 after a total of $12.5 million in net profits.

Hey Zynga, want a tip? It's on the house: Monetize letter tiles in Words with Friends. We'll pay you fifteen dollars to get rid of "MXLCZDL."

JoystiqZynga reports record quarterly revenue, profits still down year-over-year originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-worldfacebookfarmvillemacmobilepcprofitsQ3recordrevenuewords-with-friendszyngaSun, 06 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Unity Technologies revenue up 258.7 percent, Asian pirates to blame (or thank)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/unity-technologies-revenue-up-258-7-percent-asian-pirates-to-bl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/unity-technologies-revenue-up-258-7-percent-asian-pirates-to-bl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/unity-technologies-revenue-up-258-7-percent-asian-pirates-to-bl/#comments Revenue for Unity Technologies, developer of the Unity 3D game-authoring tool, is up 258.7 percent year-over-year in Asian markets, with the most monthly users worldwide coming from Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Nei-Hu, Taiwan. Unity's general manager of Asia John Goodale is excited about the company's Asian prospects and the unexpected reason for the region's growth.

"In China, quite candidly, what is driving a lot of our growth, is piracy," Goodale said. "Even through a pirated version of Unity, we can still make revenue from that customer, for example through the Asset Store."

Korea's revenue pool grew 50 percent year-on-year, while China gained 280 percent and Japan exploded with 897 percent. Unity doesn't support piracy, of course, but it doesn't not support revenue growth, no matter the reason.

"We don't condone it, but it's also something we don't super-aggressively persue," Goodale said.

JoystiqUnity Technologies revenue up 258.7 percent, Asian pirates to blame (or thank) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiaasian-marketpcpiracyrevenueunityunity-technologiesSat, 01 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: US video games market estimated at $7 billion]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/report-us-video-games-market-estimated-at-7-billion/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/report-us-video-games-market-estimated-at-7-billion/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/report-us-video-games-market-estimated-at-7-billion/#comments A recent report issued by Dublin-based firm Research and Markets states the value of the games industry in the US is estimated to be $7 billion and, naturally, dominated mainly by The Big Three[TM]: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Suddenly that $65 billion global target doesn't seem so unattainable.

Additionally, the report also talks about how video games are vying for consumer entertainment dollars as the preferred leisure activity, competing with TV and other forms of entertainment. The report itself will run you €97 ($129) and if you're interested, you can grab it right here.

[Image credit]

JoystiqReport: US video games market estimated at $7 billion originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdsmacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3pspresearch-and-marketsrevenuesalessonywiixboxWed, 08 Dec 2010 23:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Pirates of the Burning Sea completes transition to free-to-play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-completes-transition-to-free-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-completes-transition-to-free-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-completes-transition-to-free-to-play/#comments Flying Lab Software's piratical MMO Pirates of the Burning Sea has officially made the transition to free-to-play -- you can now download, install and play the client with nothing more than a free Station account. Revenue is generated via an in-game store that sells extra inventory slots, ship insurance and premium missions to play, or players can fish up $14.99 a month out of Davy Jones' locker to join the Captains' Club and get all of the goodies that come with it. Former members of the game are now known as "premium members," with access to some of the premium content.

The free-to-play transition was originally delayed, as Flying Lab did a fair amount of work upgrading the servers and the game's content. But the wide open seas are apparently up and ready for you to set sail, at no cost at all. Competing MMO developer Turbine was able to double the revenues of not one but two MMOs by transitioning them over to a free-to-play system, and so we'll have to see if Flying Lab Software can do the same with PotBS.

JoystiqPirates of the Burning Sea completes transition to free-to-play originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captains-clubflying-lab-softwarefree-to-playin-app-storepcpirates-of-the-burning-seapotbsrevenuesoesony-online-entertainmentWed, 01 Dec 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online doubles revenue since going free-to-play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/lord-of-the-rings-online-doubles-revenue-since-going-free-to-pla/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/lord-of-the-rings-online-doubles-revenue-since-going-free-to-pla/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/lord-of-the-rings-online-doubles-revenue-since-going-free-to-pla/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lord of the Rings Online Executive Producer Kate Paiz announced during a panel at GDC Online 2010 today that Turbine has done it again: Lord of the Rings Online has doubled its revenue and created over a million new accounts since going free-to-play early last month. That's the second MMO Turbine has taken from a paid subscription to a hybrid microtransactions-based business model, with Dungeons and Dragons Online doing the same thing last year (important to note: Paiz was in charge of both transitions, switching to LotRO in July). Paiz told us after the panel that LotRO wasn't in trouble, but rather that Turbine did the math and decided the switch would work. "We knew there was more out there for us," she said.

Paiz also shared that 20% of LotRO's former players have returned to the game since the switchover, and that the game has seen a 300% increase in peak concurrency, with three times the number of players online simultaneously, and a 400% increase in active players total. 53% of players have used the in-game microtransaction store (which sells everything from mounts and outfits to XP boosts and character slots), and as you can see above, extra storage slots are extremely popular in the store. And even paid subscriptions have increased. Turbine's lesson seems to be that, as Paiz said during the panel, "when you tell people you no longer have to pay for it, they come in droves."

JoystiqLord of the Rings Online doubles revenue since going free-to-play originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-online-2010kate-paizLord-of-the-Rings-OnlinepcrevenuesubscriptionsturbineThu, 07 Oct 2010 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO industry sees increased market share, but less revenue per user]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/mmo-industry-sees-increased-market-share-but-less-revenue-per-u/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/mmo-industry-sees-increased-market-share-but-less-revenue-per-u/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/mmo-industry-sees-increased-market-share-but-less-revenue-per-u/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The online gaming industry analysts at Screen Digest recently shared some good news and bad news with Western MMO developers. The good? According to their report, the MMO market in Europe and the U.S. increased to $1.6 billion last year, up from $1.4 billion in 2008. However, the average revenue gained per MMO player declined 10 percent over the same time period, with recurring subscriptions pulling in around $13 million in 2009. (That's the bad news.)

This decline, of course, is a result of new business models in the MMO space, such as microtransactions and free-to-play online titles. These new models appear to be shaking things up a bit -- but we suppose as long as that first number keeps going up, the second one can do whatever it likes.

JoystiqMMO industry sees increased market share, but less revenue per user originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>industrymmommorpgonlinepcrevenueWorld-of-WarcraftSun, 26 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[APB has 130K registered players, high average playtime and revenue per user]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/apb-has-130k-registered-players-high-average-playtime-and-reven/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/apb-has-130k-registered-players-high-average-playtime-and-reven/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/apb-has-130k-registered-players-high-average-playtime-and-reven/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Realtime Worlds as a company has been suffering from all kinds of problems lately, but how's the game doing? With a very short press release, the company (currently "in administration," which is the British version of bankruptcy) has announced that APB is hosting 130,000 registered players. That's actually not too bad for a brand new MMO -- while real population numbers are often hard to come by, the most recent estimates would have the game beating Star Trek Online's current active base. And STO has actually done pretty well, considering how tough it is to start up a new MMO.

Realtime Worlds still isn't home and dry, though. At 130K players, APB is just barely doing better than Tabula Rasa at its peak, and we all know how well that turned out. And APB's model means player registrations isn't necessarily a sign of good health. While the press release claims that the average player is playing four hours a day and the average paying player is spending $28 a month, APB's unlimited free social hours and the ability to "spend" in-game points rather than real money could be twisting those figures upwards a bit. Our colleagues at Massively also point out that while Star Trek Online was created relatively cheaply, APB's creation was reportedly much messier and more costly.

Still, with a dark cloud over the rest of Realtime Worlds' affairs, they might as well grab a silver lining where they can. If the company survives this launch, APB could have enough of a player base to make itself profitable.

Continue reading APB has 130K registered players, high average playtime and revenue per user

JoystiqAPB has 130K registered players, high average playtime and revenue per user originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>administrationAPBdatammopcplayerspopulationrealtime-worldsrevenueusersWed, 25 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Atari sales down in Q1, online is the glimmer of hope]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/atari-sales-down-in-q1-online-is-the-glimmer-of-hope/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/atari-sales-down-in-q1-online-is-the-glimmer-of-hope/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/atari-sales-down-in-q1-online-is-the-glimmer-of-hope/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Atari announced that revenues were down 65 percent to €19.3 million ($25M) in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. The company didn't reveal any profit or loss data, but given its loss during the previous fiscal year, it's pretty safe to guess that Atari isn't doing so hot. Last year's Q1 included Ghostbusters and The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, while this year had, according to the company, "only one major game" ... Sandlot Sluggers.

A small piece of "good news" during the quarter, which also included another major executive shuffle at the publisher, was that online revenues were up 320 percent to €8.4 million ($10.9M). The much-needed money injection was thanks to digital distribution sales and subscriptions for Star Trek Online and Champions Online.

Some of the hopes Atari has for the rest of the year include the reboot of Haunted House in September, The Witcher 2 next spring and "numerous casual and social online game releases based upon Atari's classic video game brands."

JoystiqAtari sales down in Q1, online is the glimmer of hope originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribusinessearningsfinancialsfy-2010-11q1revenuesalesMon, 26 Jul 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Sega expects profits in fiscal Q4 2010 forecast]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/sega-expects-profits-in-fiscal-q4-2010-forecast/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/sega-expects-profits-in-fiscal-q4-2010-forecast/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/sega-expects-profits-in-fiscal-q4-2010-forecast/#comments 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]

JoystiqSega 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-vs-predatorbayonettabusinessfiscal-2010fiscal-q4-2010fiscal-quarterMicrosoftplatinum-gamesq4rebellionrebellion-studiosrevenuerevenuessegaXbox-360Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo accounts for nearly 25% of GameStop's new product purchased in fiscal 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/nintendo-accounts-for-nearly-25-of-gamestops-new-product-purch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/nintendo-accounts-for-nearly-25-of-gamestops-new-product-purch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/nintendo-accounts-for-nearly-25-of-gamestops-new-product-purch/#comments Of the many, many games that GameStop sold in 2009 (not to mention the millions of dollars it made), we were left wondering where the lion's share of the game retail juggernaut's capital went in terms of product that the company was actually buying for its stores. And in a recent SEC filing for the last financial year, the company an unsurprising leader: Nintendo took the top spot, with 23 percent of GameStop's "new product purchases" in fiscal year 2009. Sony trailed in second place by only five less points at 17 percent, while MIcrosoft, EA, and Activision picked up 12, 12, and 11 percent (respectively).

The remaining 25 percent presumably belongs to various third party peripherals and game-related items available for sale in the retail chain's stores. That said, while over 41 percent of GameStop's sales come from new products (read: from the vendors listed above) over the 26 percent coming from used game sales, the vast majority of revenue is still very much coming from used game sales, and thusly, the company's number one vendor: you.

JoystiqNintendo accounts for nearly 25% of GameStop's new product purchased in fiscal 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionDSeaElectronic-Artsfiscal-year-2009gamestopMicrosoftNintendoprofitsrevenuesecsecurities-and-exchange-commissionWiiXbox-360Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PC gaming revenue grew in 2009 as retail PC game sales shrank]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/pc-gaming-revenue-grew-in-2009-as-retail-pc-game-sales-shrank/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/pc-gaming-revenue-grew-in-2009-as-retail-pc-game-sales-shrank/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/pc-gaming-revenue-grew-in-2009-as-retail-pc-game-sales-shrank/#comments
[Logitech PC accessories]
Despite fears about the languishing PC game industry, revenue seems to have grown a bit in 2009. According to PC Gaming Alliance's Horizons Report, revenue hit $13.1 billion in 2009, versus $11 billion in 2008.

Don't expect that growth to translate to increased shelf space for PC games, however. The report notes that digital distribution sales are way up, as are the sales of virtual items. "In 2009 we saw North America and Europe experience a rapid uptake in purchasing virtual items," PCGA president Randy Stude said. "This model is what drove growth in Asia and we think it is just starting to come to Western markets."

As expected, given the rise in digital distribution, packaged game sales have dropped for a second year, now accounting for just 20 percent of PC game revenue. It appears that PC games are going to go all digital unless we start seeing some really awesome cloth maps.

JoystiqPC gaming revenue grew in 2009 as retail PC game sales shrank originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009dfc-intelligencedigital-distributiondlcpc-gaming-alliancerevenuesalesWed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision report lists World of Warcraft as a 'risk factor']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-report-lists-world-of-warcraft-as-a-risk-factor/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-report-lists-world-of-warcraft-as-a-risk-factor/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-report-lists-world-of-warcraft-as-a-risk-factor/#comments If there's anything that all the chaos between Activision and Infinity Ward in the past 24 hours has taught us, it's that no one is safe and dry under Bobby Kotick's umbrella. And while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was one of Activision's biggest earners, that hasn't stopped the company from revamping the brand however it sees fit. So what about Activision's other big game, Blizzard's World of Warcraft? The same annual report released to the SEC yesterday that kicked off the Infinity Ward shakeup also mentions that Activision is worried about WoW becoming "obsolete," and that the regulatory issues in China could affect the entire company's bottom line.

So will we hear about Mike Morhaime being frogmarched off of the Blizzard campus? Not likely -- the fears about WoW are all in a section of the report labeled "Risk Factors," in which a company must disclose anything that could possibly go wrong with its financials in the future, just in case. In there, Activision worries about everything from credit card fraud to its ESRB ratings -- WoW is mentioned a lot because it makes up most of the revenue (in fact, one of the worries is that Activision depends on WoW too much), but these are all worst case scenario guesses. The report admits that Blizzard did decrease its net revenues last year, but then credits that to no new releases in 2009 and interrupted licensing fees from China. Assuming Blizzard releases both Starcraft II and Cataclysm as planned in 2010, the odds are low that Activision will raise the axe in that direction.

JoystiqActivision report lists World of Warcraft as a 'risk factor' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardcataclysmearnersinfinity-wardmike-morhaimereportrevenuesecstarcraft-iisubscriptionsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 02 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine makes more money by giving its MMO away for free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/turbine-makes-more-money-by-giving-its-mmo-away-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/turbine-makes-more-money-by-giving-its-mmo-away-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/turbine-makes-more-money-by-giving-its-mmo-away-for-free/#comments Here's a story that you're probably going to see a lot over the next few years: A company started giving away its game for free, and now reports that it's making more money than before. That's what happened to Turbine, maker of the Dungeons and Dragons Online MMO. Last year, it decided to move from a subscription model to free-to-play, instead earning its revenue off of in-game transactions, and now it's announced that income has increased by 500% and the game is making more money than ever.

DDO is sort of a special case here -- the game was already developed for a subscription model, so the content might be a little more in-depth (not to mention officially licensed) than you'd find on most free-to-play properties. And since the game still does offer subscription plans, the number of subscribers has actually doubled since the changeover (there's no information about whether more money is being made from selling in-game items or from new players who have decided to subscribe). But you can be sure other game developers are closely watching this model, and it's not a stretch to think that, in the next few years, we'll see many more publishers -- of MMOs and otherwise -- try to pull off the paradox of making more money by giving their games away for free.

JoystiqTurbine makes more money by giving its MMO away for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineincomemmoparadoxprofitrevenuesubscription-modelturbineTue, 02 Mar 2010 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA loses $82 million in fiscal Q3 2010, revenue down 25%]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/ea-loses-82-million-in-q3-2010-revenue-down-25-year-over-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/ea-loses-82-million-in-q3-2010-revenue-down-25-year-over-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/ea-loses-82-million-in-q3-2010-revenue-down-25-year-over-year/#comments Right off the bat, you should know this: for EA, losing $82 million in the third quarter of a fiscal year is an enormous improvement. Compared to the same period last year ("Q3" for EA is October 1 - December 31), the company lost 559 million fewer actual physical dollars. Yes, really. Now that we've told you that, we should also note that the publisher pulled in 24.85 percent less revenue year over year (down to $1.243 billion in Q3 2010 from $1.654 billion in Q3 2009). That said, Playfish had "two of the top ten Facebook games" for the quarter! Good thing EA spent $300 million on those folks, eh?

Okay, okay, real talk: the company also points out that it was the "#1 packaged goods publisher in North America and Europe" for its entire fiscal year. CEO John Riccitiello even notes that Mass Effect 2 is "the first blockbuster of 2010." And hey, with 2 million units already shipped, we tend to agree.

JoystiqEA loses $82 million in fiscal Q3 2010, revenue down 25% originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-Artsfinancefinancial-reportfinancialsfy-2010john-riccitielloprofitsq3revenuesalesMon, 08 Feb 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft revenues increase 11% in 2009, 122 million (mostly) digital dollars made]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/gameloft-revenues-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/gameloft-revenues-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/gameloft-revenues-2009/#comments Yep, it says it all right there in the headline, folks. Gameloft swiftly took $122 million from consumers in 2009, roughly equating to 15 million digital copies of DSiWare Oregon Trail. Alright, alright, the digital distribution-based publishers probably sold some of its other games too, we guess -- mobile games (in general) represented a whopping 94 percent of the company's sales in 2009. And despite our voracious habit for mobile games here at Joystiq, North Americans were second place in terms of worldwide sales at 32 percent, with Europeans leading at 39 percent and the rest of the world trailing at 27 percent. Good luck catching up, rest of the world!

And yes, even amidst the global economic recession, Gameloft predicted "further growth in 2010 in terms of revenue and profitability." The publisher also pointed out its strong position in the long term, saying it will "benefit from the rapid emergence of digitally distributed video games on mobile phones, tablets, consoles, and from major technological innovations." You catch that tablet reference in there? Yeah, we did too. Hey, it's 2010, right? The future. We're in it.

JoystiqGameloft revenues increase 11% in 2009, 122 million (mostly) digital dollars made originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Appledigital-distributionDSdsiwareearningsgameloftipadiPodMicrosoftmobile-gamesNintendopsnrevenuesalesWiiwiiwarexblaXbox-360Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Plummeting PS2 and PSP sales shrunk Sony's market share in 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/plummeting-ps2-and-psp-sales-shrunk-sonys-market-share-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/plummeting-ps2-and-psp-sales-shrunk-sonys-market-share-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/plummeting-ps2-and-psp-sales-shrunk-sonys-market-share-in-2009/#comments For many, 2009 was the year Sony started turning things around: the PS3 finally dropped to an affordable price with an ad campaign that didn't give children nightmares. However, Gamasutra's Matt Matthews points out that in terms of revenue, 2009 is one of the worst years for the company. Whereas Sony was able to generate $6.4 billion in revenue from its family of PlayStation products in 2008, the company was only able to rake in $5.1 billion in 2009 -- that's a drop of $1.3 billion, or 20 percent.

While Microsoft and Nintendo also shed some revenue in the difficult economic climate, their losses seem insignificant in comparison: about $200 million each. Matthews notes that a large portion of Sony's lost revenue in 2009 comes from sagging sales of its decade-old PS2 platform. The (understandable) lack of software sales on the PS2 resulted in the loss of approximately $700 million in revenue, while hardware sales have contracted another $150 million.

The PSP also had a difficult year, and it appears the PSP Go hasn't turned around Sony's fortunes. According to Gamasutra's analysis, hardware and software sales on Sony's handheld shrank by about $425 million in 2009. With the demise of the PS2, and the languishing state of the PSP, Sony's former dominance of the market seems but a memory.

JoystiqPlummeting PS2 and PSP sales shrunk Sony's market share in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystgamasutrarevenuesonyMon, 18 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The9 posts 94 percent drop in Q3 revenues after losing WoW]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/#comments Mother of pearl! We thought it was safe to assume that Shanghai-based MMO operator The9 would lose a chunk of its revenue after handing the license for World of Warcraft over to competing company NetEase. By "a chunk" we, of course, meant "a fraction." Not "almost all revenue," which according to the company's Q3 2009 financial report, is how much it lost year-over-year after passing off the rights to run WoW.

To put it numerically, The9's revenues dropped 94 percent from the same quarter last year. A hit that big must have left a sizable dent in the ol' pocketbook -- however, we're guessing the company's board members take some small, spiteful satisfaction from the tribulations the game has brought to its new operators.

JoystiqThe9 posts 94 percent drop in Q3 revenues after losing WoW originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardchinammommorpgneteaserevenuethe9world-of-warcraftwowFri, 27 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony expects PSN to pull in 50 billion yen in FY 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/sony-expects-psn-to-pull-in-50-billion-yen-in-fy-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/sony-expects-psn-to-pull-in-50-billion-yen-in-fy-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/sony-expects-psn-to-pull-in-50-billion-yen-in-fy-2009/#comments Though yesterday's Sony investor's conference featured a concerning reference to the PSN's "new revenue stream from subscription," another slide from the presentation seems to indicate that the platform is already making money hand over fist. According to the slide (seen above), the company has set a lofty goal for the current fiscal year: It expects the PSN to bring in ¥50 billion (roughly $561 million) in revenue by the end of FY 2009. That's three times the amount of cash collected by the platform in the last fiscal year.

Exactly how Sony plans to boost its revenues so drastically is outlined by other statistics on the slide. According to the company's calculations, the PSN currently has 33 million registered users, 1.4 million of which visit the PlayStation Store on a daily basis. We fall into the latter group -- but only because we can't stop window shopping for celebrities we can fling into oncoming traffic. We confess: It's one of our dirtiest, guiltiest pleasures.

Source - "Media / Investor Conference - November 19th 2009" [PDF]

JoystiqSony expects PSN to pull in 50 billion yen in FY 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conferencefinancefy-2009playstation-storepresentationpsnrevenuesonyFri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony 'looking into' subscription-based PSN services for new revenue stream]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-looking-into-subscription-based-psn-services-for-new-revenue-stream/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-looking-into-subscription-based-psn-services-for-new-revenue-stream/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-looking-into-subscription-based-psn-services-for-new-revenue-stream/#comments
 Whoa, hey. Slow your roll, sir. We know seeing the terms "PSN" and "subscription" in the same headline might have set off a few red flags for you, but let's look at this logically. Earlier today, Sony released the presentation report from its media and investor conference, one portion of which focused on the future profitability of its gaming platform. One element of the company's strategy is turning a larger profit on PlayStation Network -- and yes, according to the report, Sony's planning to obtain a "new revenue stream from subscription."

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean the currently free online service will start charging its users at some point during this next year. It's far more likely that the line in the report was referring to new subscription-based features, such as the PSP rental service or one of SOE's upcoming MMOs.

We contacted Sony about the reference to PSN subscriptions, and a representative responded, saying, "We have not made any formal announcements on a subscription based service. We're looking into a variety of options." It sounds like the company has yet to set any subscription plans in stone -- or perhaps Sony's just now gauging the community's reaction to the concept of a pay-to-play PSN. If that's the case, the comments on this post could likely provide an adequate barometer for how this news would be received. But that's just our hunch ...

Source - "Media / Investor Conference - November 19th 2009" [PDF]

JoystiqSony 'looking into' subscription-based PSN services for new revenue stream originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>finance-reportonlinepsnrevenuesonysubscriptionThu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[SouthPeak sees revenue surge on 'post-holiday demand']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/southpeak-sees-revenue-surge-on-post-holiday-demand/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/southpeak-sees-revenue-surge-on-post-holiday-demand/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/southpeak-sees-revenue-surge-on-post-holiday-demand/#comments Hey, SouthPeak, we're in a recession, didn't you hear? The publisher again pocketed an impressive wad of cash, reporting $13.5 million in revenue during its fiscal third quarter, up more than $2 million over the same time the previous year. According to Gamasutra, the company cited "post-holiday consumer demand" and recent releases like Big Bang Mini and X-Blades as key factors in the outfit's financial buoyancy.

With 711,000 units of software flying out the door during the quarter, it's no wonder the company is making plans for the future. The report notes that SouthPeak has more than 60 games in the works, with over $14 million currently invested in development of new titles and IP. Perhaps we can finally quit pointing and laughing as the publisher of Gamecock cast-offs Legendary and Velvet Assassin rolls up to the bank. Clearly some gamers' spirits are more resilient than others.

JoystiqSouthPeak sees revenue surge on 'post-holiday demand' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 May 2009 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-bang-minibusinesslegendaryrevenuesouthpeaksouthpeak-gamesvelvet-assissinx-bladesMon, 18 May 2009 19:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft says: Recession? What recession?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/23/gameloft-says-recession-what-recession/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/23/gameloft-says-recession-what-recession/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/23/gameloft-says-recession-what-recession/#comments
As the dwindling economy has most companies checking their coffers for cobwebs, developer-publisher Gameloft is sipping mojitos and enjoying a refreshing 15 percent uptake in its revenue over the previous year. In 2008, the company boasted revenue of 110.3 million euros, or $149.6 million, with profits likewise surging up 15 percent to $4.4 million during the fiscal year.

Console releases were responsible for just 7 percent of Gameloft's results, though with the company set to deal Uno onto every platform imaginable this may soon change. For now, however, it's mobile games that are responsible for the lion's share of Gameloft's newfound wealth, making up 93 percent of the company's sales as even the unemployed refuse to give up their casual shovelware fix.

JoystiqGameloft says: Recession? What recession? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualgameloftmobilemoneyprofitrevenueMon, 23 Mar 2009 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[The Cut Scene: Xbox Live generates at least 5 times the revenue of PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-live-generates-at-least-5-times-the-revenue-of-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-live-generates-at-least-5-times-the-revenue-of-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-live-generates-at-least-5-times-the-revenue-of-psn/#comments
Xbots, arm up! You've just received a new salvo of ammo for your ongoing crusade against those Sony Cronies: Xbox Live has generated a lot more money than PSN, according to The Cut Scene's math. (Of course, dear Xbox Fanboy, let us remind you that this victory comes at the expense of your wallet.) Variety did some quick estimations based on Sony's recent 20 million registrations announcement and Microsoft's reported earnings from Xbox Live. PSN has generated $180 million for Sony, whereas Xbox Live has made Microsoft a tidy sum in excess of $1 billion.

PSN, which includes both PS3 and PSP users, has been active for 40 percent of Xbox Live's current lifespan, however, Sony's service has only managed to generate 20 percent as much revenue. Of course, PSN is free, so registrations don't generate any revenue for Sony, unlike Xbox Live, which costs $50 per year for a premium, Gold subscription. It's not known how much of Xbox Live's total revenue is attributed to Gold subscribers' annual fees.

JoystiqThe Cut Scene: Xbox Live generates at least 5 times the revenue of PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsmicrosoftpsnrevenuesonyxblmXbox-360xbox-liveThu, 26 Feb 2009 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[MS Q1 '09 revenues up, 360 division profitable]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ms-q1-09-revenues-up-360-division-profitable/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ms-q1-09-revenues-up-360-division-profitable/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/ms-q1-09-revenues-up-360-division-profitable/#commentsFiled under:


Recently, Microsoft gave their investors exactly what they wanted. They handed over their Q1 2009 fiscal results (MS's fiscal year starts in June) to hungry investors and, lo and behold, the Xbox 360 division turned a profit!

The Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD) - the division that houses products like the 360 and Zune - boasted an operating income of $178 million, up from last year's $167 million, and an overall revenue increase of 9%. Though, technically, the 360 wasn't the big bread winner as other products in the EDD accounted for $216 million in sales. Microsoft also revealed that lifetime Xbox 360 sales have reached 22 million, which is 2 million shy of the original Xbox's install base. Golf clap for team 360.

[Thanks, Scott O.]

JoystiqMS Q1 '09 revenues up, 360 division profitable originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftrevenuexbox-360Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 DLC has brought in $240 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/xbox-360-dlc-has-brought-in-240-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/xbox-360-dlc-has-brought-in-240-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/xbox-360-dlc-has-brought-in-240-million/#commentsFiled under: ,


Microsoft recently revealed that the Xbox Live Marketplace has seen over $240 million in revenue, with $180 million of that occurring in the last 12 months. Gamasutra reports the company also revealed that games with paid DLC make an average of $21 million more at retail if the content hits within a 30-day "sweet spot," causing customers to hold on to the titles longer.

Gamasutra's piece also delves deeper into XBLM issues like content testing and the submission process, but we're surprised by that spike in revenue over the last year. It means the Marketplace made $60 million since its inception in late 2005 and then raked in $180 million over the last year. We'll take that as a sign customers are getting comfortable with this newfangled digital shopping thing the kids are talking about.

JoystiqXbox 360 DLC has brought in $240 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmoneyrevenuexblmXbox-360xbox-live-marketplaceWed, 06 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA generated $90m through digital distribution in Q1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/ea-generated-90m-through-digital-distribution-in-q1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/ea-generated-90m-through-digital-distribution-in-q1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/ea-generated-90m-through-digital-distribution-in-q1/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


While NPD reports are great for tallying up the sales of actual physical games - you know, like on discs and what not - a rapidly growing segment of the video game industry operates outside their purview, performing the mysterious (and often times lucrative) alchemy of turning bits slung digitally over the internet into cold, hard cash.

Electronic Arts shared some figures during their fiscal Q1 conference call, announcing it generated over $90 million in revenue through digital distribution in that three month period. Those figures are ostensibly gathered from digital sales of PC games on the EA Store, not to mention downloadable content for video game consoles (insert your own joke here about Battlefield weapons here). Sized up against EA's overall quarterly revenue of $804m, digital distribution accounts for an impressive 11% of that total and, we're quite certain, will continue to grow.

JoystiqEA generated $90m through digital distribution in Q1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsEAElectronic-ArtsPCPS3Q1RevenueXbox-360Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision releases record earnings report before merger]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/activision-releases-record-earnings-report-before-merger/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/activision-releases-record-earnings-report-before-merger/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/activision-releases-record-earnings-report-before-merger/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The middle of the biggest convention in the industry probably isn't the best time to trumpet some record earnings, but the fiscal calendar waits for no convention, as they say. Activision's first quarter in fiscal '09 (and their last quarter before officially becoming Activision Blizzard) was the best non-holiday quarter in the company's history, with revenues coming in at a whopping $650 million (well above the projections $500 million).

Unsurprisingly, the quarter's Guitar Heroes (both On Tour and Aerosmith) contributed a lot to the bottom line. More surprisingly, the Kung Fu Panda game also contributed a fair share, representing as Activision's largest Dreamworks-associated game to date. Now that's one large panda!

JoystiqActivision releases record earnings report before merger originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actiblizzactivisionactivision-blizzardearningsPS3revenueWiiXbox-360Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pachter: Nintendo to make more than $14.5 billion in 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/pachter-nintendo-to-make-more-than-14-5-billion-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/pachter-nintendo-to-make-more-than-14-5-billion-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/pachter-nintendo-to-make-more-than-14-5-billion-in-2008/#commentsFiled under:


Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter has made a career out of predicting what's going down in the gaming industry. His latest prediction sees Nintendo upping their financial forecast for this year, where he thinks the company will bring in more than its current 2008 projections for $14.5 billion in revenue. We imagine that's around how much it costs to build a Death Star.

"Nintendo's recent financial performance has been spectacular and we continue to believe its FY:08 guidance is conservative," said Pachter. He continued on to say "We believe that global DS sales were likely around 12 million units during the [third] quarter, and that global Wii sales were around 7 million, placing the company on track to exceed guidance for the fiscal year,"

JoystiqPachter: Nintendo to make more than $14.5 billion in 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessmichael-pachterrevenuesalessalesfiguresTue, 22 Jan 2008 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EA's Q3 revenues led by Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/eas-q3-revenues-led-by-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/eas-q3-revenues-led-by-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/eas-q3-revenues-led-by-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Stemming from a recent SEC filing and financial report, EA's third quarter software revenues -- broken down by platform -- reveal that the Xbox 360 proved to be the most rewarding during the three months ending September 30th. A Gamasutra report ranks the revenue for the period, which saw the releases of Boogie, Madden '08 and Skate, as following:
  • Xbox 360: $218 million (an increase of $52 million over the same period last year)
  • PlayStation 2: $73 million (a drop of $196 million compared to the previous year)
  • Wii: $59 million
  • DS: $47 million (up by $33 million)
  • PSP: $21 million (down by $43 million)
  • PlayStation 3: $17 million
Does CEO John Riccitiello still think the publisher backed the "wrong horse" by initially focusing on the PS3 and Xbox 360? Judging by third quarter revenues, it seems said horse was actually two buffoons in a poorly constructed costume -- except the one controlling the front two legs could actually make out where he was going. Driven by superb Madden '08 sales in October, the Xbox 360 yielded roughly the same amount as every other platform combined. Wii software revenue shows promise for the system's third-party developers, quite unlike the PlayStation 3's $17 million. With lackluster hardware sales and unimpressive software revenues from one of the world's largest publishers laying quite the rocky road, it's no wonder Sony has to talk supporters out of jumping ship.

(Wait a minute. Did we just put a ship on the road? We've got to stop mixing our metaphors like that.)

JoystiqEA's Q3 revenues led by Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSEAElectronic-Artsfinancial-reportPS2PS3PSPRevenueWiiXbox-360Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Online console games bring in more revenue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/report-online-console-games-bring-in-more-revenue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/report-online-console-games-bring-in-more-revenue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/report-online-console-games-bring-in-more-revenue/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It seems like just yesterday when online functionality was a new, exotic feature that was far from required for most games. Now, it seems, online functionality is practically a must if a publisher wants to squeeze as much money as possible from a release. Reuters is reporting on a new study by research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research that shows, so far in this generation, console games that allow online play bring in nearly twice as much revenue as games that don't.

This isn't that surprising, considering mega-sellers like Madden, Gears of War, and Resistance are weighing on the online side. Would these same exact games make half the money without an online component? It's hard to say, but it's definitely a possibility, and one that should worry online-shy Nintendo. According to the study, only two percent of Wii games included an online component as of June 1, compared to 23 percent of PS3 games and a whopping 77 percent of Xbox 360 titles. That could translate to a lot of early revenue left on the table for the big N. Look, just make the Super Smash Bros. Brawl's online functionality relatively painless and all will be forgiven, all right?

JoystiqReport: Online console games bring in more revenue originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessonlinePS3revenuestudyWiiXbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveFri, 07 Sep 2007 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft sales up 50% so far this year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/gameloft-sales-up-50-so-far-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/gameloft-sales-up-50-so-far-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/gameloft-sales-up-50-so-far-this-year/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mobile games publisher Gameloft announced they posted €45.9 million ($62.9 million) in sales during the first half of their fiscal year. According to Gameloft, this is a 50% increase from last year, which means they are well on their way to hitting their €95 million ($130.3 million) objective when the games industry goes into overdrive sales for the end of Q3 and the Q4 holiday season.

The sales come from standard issue back titles and, in the same way Activision pulled ahead in the first half of this year, Gameloft saw significant revenue from movie/TV licensed games like Shrek the Third, Desperate Housewives and Lost. Yes hardcore gamers, you may curse the heavens for that if you wish.

JoystiqGameloft sales up 50% so far this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gameloftincreasemobileprofitrevenuesalesSat, 28 Jul 2007 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Reggie extols the wonders of the DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-extolls-the-wonders-of-the-ds/#commentsFiled under:

Just in case you didn't know, the DS owns the Japanese market. At today's Nintendo Media Summit, Reggie Fils-Aime dropped a major bomb: so far in 2007, half of all games sold in Japan have been for the DS. Yes, that was half. It may be time to move beyond the "it prints money" joke. We're not sure that really communicates this level of success. Also, the numbers of people over the age of 30 who are buying the DS are up -- if you look at DS adopters over 35, the statistics are huge: the numbers are up 212%.

Looking at that, it's easy to guess why we're seeing more and more of what we jokingly refer to as "non-games" rolling out for the DS. A lot of these new gamers aren't as interested in traditional fare, and as the market expands, the type of games has to expand as well. Satoru Iwata had good reason to come down hard on NoA for not getting the U.S. market on the Brain Age train; everywhere else, the game continues to walk off shelves at alarming rates.

Reggie said they're seeing "significant market change" in the U.S., and we can only hope that means that, as the gaming market expands, so will gaming advertising. It's time DS commercials broke out of their Saturday morning slots and started marketing to the new gaming class: adults who like shooting zombies just as much as they like studying languages.

JoystiqReggie extols the wonders of the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain ageBrainAgecasualhardcorenintendo media summitNintendoMediaSuReggie Fils-AimeReggieFils-aimerevenuesalesTue, 22 May 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reggie on the Wii effect at the Nintendo Media Summit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-on-the-wii-effect-at-the-nintendo-media-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-on-the-wii-effect-at-the-nintendo-media-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/reggie-on-the-wii-effect-at-the-nintendo-media-summit/#commentsFiled under:

This morning, at the Nintendo Media Summit, NoA President and resident badass Reggie Fils-Aime had some interesting statistics on the Nintendo juggernaut. While a lot of it may not be the best news for the hardcore gaming contingent, the massive revenue increases indicate that the wider potential market may well be what powers the industry in the coming years. One particularly telling statement backed up the figures: "We don't consider Sony and Microsoft as our only competitors. We're competing with other leisure time entertainment. If people stay at home and play Wii bowling instead of going to the movies, we win."

It's not all gloom and doom for the hardest of the hard, however. Reggie had some interesting things to say about this summer's highly anticipated Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. It "will reinvent the control scheme for a first person shooter. It's the closest you can get to PC control in a [console] game." A lot of people hoped Red Steel would pull that off for the Wii at launch, but leave it to Nintendo to really show us what the Wiimote and nunchuk combo can do for the FPS.

Reggie also added that the DS continues to print money, just in case none of us knew.

JoystiqReggie on the Wii effect at the Nintendo Media Summit originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2007 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualfpshardcoremedia summitMediaSummitmetroid prime 3MetroidPrime3noareggie fils-aimeReggieFils-aimerevenuesalesTue, 22 May 2007 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[President Iwata, economics, and fun with automatic translation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/president-iwata-economics-and-fun-with-automatic-translation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/president-iwata-economics-and-fun-with-automatic-translation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/president-iwata-economics-and-fun-with-automatic-translation/#commentsFiled under:

Japanese publicatiion Toyo Keizai recently sat down with President Iwata for five questions about the economics of selling consoles what print money (hand over the proverbial fist, even). Since we're stuck puzzling out squiggles Kanji and scratching our heads over the auto-translation, only to discover that there isn't much meat to the interview at all, we thought we'd bring it to you exactly as we read it:

Toyo Keizai: The DS sure prints money, yeah?
Iwata: Damn yeah it does.

TK: But that's just Japan. How's the overseas market?
Iwata: The overseas market also produces fat stacks of cash, only in different colors and shapes.

TK: You guys are really expanding the market, eh?
Iwata: We had to -- everyone already owned seven DS Lites.

TK: So how about that Wii?
Iwata: It also seems to be printing money. We're very pleased, and also, rich.

TK: Is the hit of DS and Wii probably to mean what?
Iwata: Very to recently, the game was thought that the child it is something which the young man enjoys. The woman, not to mention, to forge how no one where the old people touch to the game machine imagined and, the brain, the expectation which the person whom you think that English study can become the game software, is not.

Oh, uh ... sorry, we were too busy giggling at the Google translation. This is the interesting part of the interview, but we've heard this song before: Nintendo is working to expand the gaming industry beyond the artificial boundaries we've set when it comes to determining just what a game is, and who the audience should be. And we approve; in fact, bring more of it over here! Give us the language trainers and games we can play with Grandma, as well as more traditional 'hardcore' gaming fare.

JoystiqPresident Iwata, economics, and fun with automatic translation originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economicsiwatamarketnintendorevenuetoyo keizaiToyoKeizaiwiiThu, 17 May 2007 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSP remains leader of EA handheld revenue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/psp-remains-leader-of-ea-handheld-revenue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/psp-remains-leader-of-ea-handheld-revenue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/psp-remains-leader-of-ea-handheld-revenue/#commentsFiled under:

Sony's handheld continues to drive profits to mega-publisher EA. According to Pocket Gamer, PSP games generated $258 million last fiscal year. In comparison, DS games only managed to generate $104 million. Similar figures were revealed last year, when EA admitted that they'd rather focus on Nintendo's handheld than Sony's, calling it a more "fun" system.

Although PSP sales make the largest portion of EA's handheld revenue, the company may spin the fact negatively. While $256 million is a sizable figure, it represents a 28 percent loss compared to last year. On the other hand, the DS platform seems to be gaining momentum for EA, as it has shot up 149 percent. We don't care too much about these numbers, though. As long as EA continues to make good, original games for our platform, PSP gamers have nothing to worry about.

JoystiqPSP remains leader of EA handheld revenue originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dseahandheldhandheldsportableprofitpsprevenuesalesWed, 09 May 2007 12:30:00 EST