fy-2009-2010
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Atari reduces losses in fiscal year, increases online revenue
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)
Capcom calls earnings 'sluggish' over last fiscal year
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.
Nintendo profits down in last fiscal year, but not out
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]
Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher
Atari may not have published a ton of games in 2009, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't been picking up the bottom line. In a press release that reads like the exact opposite of those we saw from the company just a few years ago, CEO Jeff Lapin celebrates the €92.5 million ($126.25 million) in revenue earned in the nine months ending December 31, saying "the company has now strengthened its equity and is in a position to work on an expanded publishing plan." In so many words, Lapin's suggesting that Atari is financially bouncing back and maybe even gearing up to (dare we say it?) make more games. The company cites sales of Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick, Backyard Football, and Champions Online for bolstering revenues in fiscal Q3 and looks forward to a better 2010. The recent release of Star Trek Online certainly doesn't seem to be hurting his confidence in that department. Lapin says that he's "very enthusiastic about the launch" of the "promising MMO game." But things aren't all gumdrops and money hats -- the Q3 revenues were still down by 1.9% year-over-year. We won't find out the full year's earnings until late May, but for now we'll comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the publisher's next title, Project Runway, is coming in a few short weeks. Finally! Source (PDF) - Atari announces 9-month revenues for FY 2009/2010; [via Big Download]
Ubisoft reports fiscal Q3 sales of $679 million, hints at unannounced titles
Sure, $679 million may sound like a lot of money (it sure does to us!), but when you're a company CEO reporting that number to investors and it's 2.7 percent lower than last year's equivalent time period ($697 million), it's not quite as impressive. And that's just what Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot had to do earlier today when the company reported its fiscal Q3 (October 1 through December 31) sales for 2009. Given the publisher's French HQ, we're not privy to the period's revenue until later this year. In discussing plans for the upcoming year, the company cited "at least seven franchise titles" being launched this year, calling out this morning's (finally) officially-announced Ghost Recon: Future Soldier among others, leaving one (presumably unannounced) title unmentioned. The publisher then indicates "at least two new brands (R.U.S.E. has already been announced)" will see the light of day in 2010 -- leaving one unannounced new brand. Getting murkier yet, it appears "at least 5 online games" will be heading to the information superhighway, though only three are mentioned (yep, you guessed it -- that means two have yet to be revealed). With GDC, PAX East, and E3 not too far off (already?!), there's still plenty of 2010 left for announcements.
Square Enix summons strong sales for first nine months of fiscal year
According to Square Enix's financial report covering the first nine months (ending this past December) of its fiscal year, the company is going to finish its annual business cycle with plenty of glistening gil. Overall, the company's profits are up 48 percent from the same period last year, and it forecasts a profit of ¥10 billion (which is far less shocking when converted to $112 million) for the fiscal year ending in March 2010. The company's games division saw limit breaker sales and profits during the period due to Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy XIII, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Batman: Arkham Asylum -- which it obtained as part of the Eidos buyout. Square Enix's games group saw sales of ¥72 billion ($806 million, a 97 percent increase over last year), along with a profit of ¥18 billion ($202 million, a 99 percent increase during the same time). Kupos to you, Square Enix.
