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[Kurosaki Ichigo]

They still made money though.

Total Operating Income = 4021 million yens
Americas Operating Income = -534 million yens

Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2009
http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/releases/images/3/47950.pdf

Through Q2 as in 30th September. Shipped numbers now (cumulative for the fiscal year).

Things to note:
- Its top10 ranked by unit sales, don't forget to note regions mentioned
- Excludes Europe and US sales for Soul Calibur IV despite taking them into account for their predictions


We have shipped numbers through Q1, you can see them in this other pdf:
http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/releases/images/3/46361.pdf

Thanks to that, we can see updated shipments for a few titles:
- DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (Europe) - 420k -> 420k (0k shipped in Q2)
- Taiko Drum Master for DS 2 (Japan) - 260k -> 342k (82k shipped in Q2)
- Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 (US) - 160k -> 325k (165k shipped in Q2)
- Naruto Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (Europe + US) - 208k -> 216k (8k shipped in Q2)
- Tales of Symphonia (Japan) - 215k -> 215k (0k shipped in Q2)


We also have sales expectations given out for the entire fiscal year to watch:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11168382&postcount=153

Some conclusions we can gather from that:
- Soul Calibur IV met expectations (PR: SCIV ships 2 million) but isn't mentioned in the financial highlights.
- Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 has so far shipped 325k out of a 600k expectation but it has not launched yet in Europe.
- Super Robot Taisen Z has exceeded expectations already shipping 510k out of a 500k expectation with 2 quarters left.
- DBZ Burst Limit has exceeded expectations already shipping 728k out of a 500k expectation with 2 quarters left.
- We Ski and DBZ BT3 have exceeded 400k shipped with 2 quarters left despite not appearing on the top10 predictions that ended on 400k.
- Dragon Ball DS, Tales of Vesperia and Family Trainer have shipped less than 189k each as of Q2 end. We don't know any numbers for the first two but Family Trainer had shipped 104k as of Q1. Their expectations for the entire fiscal year were 500k for each one.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

No need to go current gen, PS2 is where the money is at.

 

[Vorador]

PS2 with three titles is selling almost 1.000 thousand more than NDS with 13 titles?

Just wow.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

PS2 with three titles is selling almost 1.000 thousand more than NDS with 13 titles?

Just wow.

I wouldn't look much into that chart, they have some really weird way of calculating "# of titles". Its something like "# of titles after elimination of localized versions". Ditto for the sales, "Unit Sales after elimination of localized versions".

 

[Durante]

I wouldn't look much into that chart, they have some really weird way of calculating "# of titles". Its something like "# of titles after elimination of localized versions". Ditto for the sales, "Unit Sales after elimination of localized versions".

This clears things up a bit, I thought it was strange that PSP with "2 titles" sold almost exactly as many copies as DS with 13.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Dragon Ball DS, Tales of Vesperia and Family Trainer have shipped less than 189k each as of Q2 end. We don't know any numbers for the first two but Family Trainer had shipped 104k as of Q1. Their expectations for the entire fiscal year were 500k for each one.

Crazy expectations lead only to disappointments.

 

[matmanx1]

I know I'm a JRPG fan but if any game deserved to sell 500k it was Tales of Vesperia. I liked just about everything about it. It's certainly a stronger game than Infinite Undiscovery that we know shipped over 400k and is in the same genre.

 

[tehbear]

I know I'm a JRPG fan but if any game deserved to sell 500k it was Tales of Vesperia. I liked just about everything about it. It's certainly a stronger game than Infinite Undiscovery that we know shipped over 400k and is in the same genre.

And Bandai Namco is still stupid for projecting ToV at 500k. I mean seriously, what the hell made them think America / Europe was going to carry this to 500k? Looks like more Tales of Naruto time.

 

[Vorador]

It's like the Tales brand is cursed by poor sales, the only Tales games that sold reasonably good were Eternia on PSX and Symphonia on GC i think...

Well, i will do my part when Vesperia comes to Europe, but i don't think it will sell good at all.

 

[Haunted]

I wasn't aware that Symphonia sold more than Vesperia.

 

[John Harker]

I wasn't aware that Symphonia sold more than Vesperia.

It's going to kill it world wide

 

[JudgeN]

Namco should launched a PS3 version of ToV with the 360, seem to be the best way to get sales.

 

[Paracelsus]

I wasn't aware that Symphonia sold more than Vesperia.

The Japanese sales of Symphonia on both PS2 and NGC (individually) both surpass the LTD Japan+USA of Vesperia. Other times, though.

Anyway, too bad seeing SRW selling so well and not getting an US version. Even if it would sell like shiz, who cares? Just make a cheap translation and feed it to me. -.-

 

[ymmv]

I know I'm a JRPG fan but if any game deserved to sell 500k it was Tales of Vesperia. I liked just about everything about it. It's certainly a stronger game than Infinite Undiscovery that we know shipped over 400k and is in the same genre.

Tales of Vesperia hasn't been released in Europe yet, so total sales will end up higher. Nevertheless, current sales for ToV are nothing to write home about. That's what you get when you release JRPGs on the least popular home console in Japan. They should have made ToV a multiplatform title from the start.

 

[ymmv]

PS2 with three titles is selling almost 1.000 thousand more than NDS with 13 titles?

Just wow.

How about: PSP with two titles is selling almost as much as NDS with thirteen titles.

I get the idea that Namco is totally clueless about what games to release on what platform.

 

[SilverLunar]

Tales of Vesperia hasn't been released in Europe yet, so total sales will end up higher. Nevertheless, current sales for ToV are nothing to write home about. That's what you get when you release JRPGs on the least popular home console in Japan. They should have made ToV a multiplatform title from the start.

You just described Tales of Symphonia, and look what that turend out.

 

[funkmastergeneral]

Tales of Vesperia hasn't been released in Europe yet, so total sales will end up higher. Nevertheless, current sales for ToV are nothing to write home about. That's what you get when you release JRPGs on the least popular home console in Japan. They should have made ToV a multiplatform title from the start.

They should've just released it on PS2 and Wii, it looks like a waste of money to make it a next gen game.

 

[HK-47]

The Japanese sales of Symphonia on both PS2 and NGC (individually) both surpass the LTD Japan+USA of Vesperia. Other times, though.

Anyway, too bad seeing SRW selling so well and not getting an US version. Even if it would sell like shiz, who cares? Just make a cheap translation and feed it to me. -.-

Cause a translation wouldnt be cheap? Localization issues

 

[BoilersFan23]

It's like the Tales brand is cursed by poor sales, the only Tales games that sold reasonably good were Eternia on PSX and Symphonia on GC i think...

Well, i will do my part when Vesperia comes to Europe, but i don't think it will sell good at all.

Actually, Tales of Destiny 2 (The PS2 one in Japan) sold like 800k or so copies, which I believe was the best performing PS2 Tales game (just that it stayed Japan only). Some Tales have done really well, but sales have declined over the years unfortunately (I still like the series).

 

[Metalmurphy]

PS3 keeps getting them more money then the 360 yet the 360 keeps getting exclusives. Damn you Namco!

Where the !"#$ is my Ace Combat?

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Namco is dead to me until I get an online Takio DrumMaster game.

 

[SkySonata]

Cause a translation wouldnt be cheap? Localization issues

Localization costs are far overrated, unless a company has extensive voice overs in a game. Even then, most companies don't hire grade A voice actors. Our current gen games are littered with bad voice acting/synching jobs. Namco's notorious for not paying for good translation/voice acting. They have exceptions on a few select games, however.

At the very least in most cases, localization costs should not be a deal breaker for a company's decision to sell a game in another region. Localization costs in comparison to the other costs of making a game are incredibly, laughably low.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Localization costs are far overrated, unless a company has extensive voice overs in a game. Even then, most companies don't hire grade A voice actors. Our current gen games are littered with bad voice acting/synching jobs. Namco's notorious for not paying for good translation/voice acting. They have exceptions on a few select games, however.

At the very least in most cases, localization costs should not be a deal breaker for a company's decision to sell a game in another region. Localization costs in comparison to the other costs of making a game are incredibly, laughably low.

SRT series huge localization costs would come from getting licenses to every mecha, sound track and such used in the game. Bandai might hold most of them in Japan and make enough money to pay for the others, but in USA they start from scratch getting deals for each license, probably running into problems not only solved with money. Low sales, series that didn't even get US release....etc etc.

 

[klee123]

PS3 keeps getting them the more money then the 360 yet the 360 keeps getting exclusives. Damn you Namco!

Where the !"#$ is my Ace Combat?

I don't think Namco really cares considering that MS most likely paid a fuckloads to keep them exclusive.

 

[dark10x]

They should've just released it on PS2 and Wii, it looks like a waste of money to make it a next gen game.

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

Perhaps they could have made more money through releasing the game on a lower end product, but that would have only had positive effects on the company rather than the game itself.

 

[Paracelsus]

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

Perhaps they could have made more money through releasing the game on a lower end product, but that would have only had positive effects on the company rather than the game itself.

Yeah, right.

What if this is the first and last HD Tales we see because of this (half)-failure?

 

[Fuu]

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

Perhaps they could have made more money through releasing the game on a lower end product, but that would have only had positive effects on the company rather than the game itself.

Well, the thread is about their financial highlights, so people will focus on the money-making side of things.

 

[Vorador]

Yeah, right.

What if this is the first and last HD Tales we see because of this (half)-failure?

That would depend on Europe. The game is still unreleased here.

 

[BishopLamont]

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

Perhaps they could have made more money through releasing the game on a lower end product, but that would have only had positive effects on the company rather than the game itself.

This thread is about Bandai-Namco's bottom-line. You want to talk about the game's quality, go to the official thread instead. ToV bombed, that's why the Wii is getting the next console Tales game.

 

[solid2snake]

yeah, Soul Calibur 5 with more female fighters and less clothing on the way
and it's pretty sad that Tales of Vesperia and Dragonball Origins bombed.

 

[Paracelsus]

That would depend on Europe. The game is still unreleased here.

If nothing happened in 360's software sales stronghold, figures if something happens here in Europe.

ToV bombed, that's why the Wii is getting the next console Tales game.

The team Symphonia makes a Tales of every 2-3 years (Symphonia-Abyss-Vesperia). Wii is getting a main Tales as in not-sequel-or-spinoff Tales, but it sure cannot be Team Vesperia's next Tales, unless its release date is far far away.

 

[BishopLamont]

If nothing happened in 360's software sales stronghold, figures if something happens here in Europe.



The team Symphonia makes a Tales of every 2-3 years (Symphonia-Abyss-Vesperia). Wii is getting a main Tales as in not-sequel-or-spinoff Tales, but it sure cannot be Team Vesperia's next Tales, unless its release date is far far away.

Ah, didn't know that. Maybe the Wii version is to test the waters, to see if HD or Wii tales is the way to go for the next team Symphonia game. Still It's being labeled as the "mothership" tales game, that's gotta count for something.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

That would depend on Europe. The game is still unreleased here.

European launch wasn't covered in the 500k expectation, which was for US + Japan for the fiscal year ending 31st March. The european launch (if it happens) should take place after that.

ToV bombed, that's why the Wii is getting the next console Tales game.

Timeline:

New Wii game announced -> ToV launch

 

[linsivvi]

Anyway, too bad seeing SRW selling so well and not getting an US version. Even if it would sell like shiz, who cares? Just make a cheap translation and feed it to me. -.-

It's probably due to licensing issues. They did localize OG on the GBA.

 

[Jonnyram]

I don't think Namco really cares considering that MS most likely paid a fuckloads to keep them exclusive.

It's called LOWER DEV COSTS and DEV KITS AVAILABLE EARLIER, not money hats. I don't know why some folks keep making this mistake even though time and time again Namco have stated the reasons in interviews.

 

[Paracelsus]

It's called LOWER DEV COSTS and DEV KITS AVAILABLE EARLIER, not money hats. I don't know why dipshits keep making this mistake even though time and time again Namco have stated the reasons in interviews.

If you ask me, it would have been better for them if a moneyhat was involved. I don't think it has been THAT convenient for them to release the game only on X360 because of lower dev costs (and we should wonder: HOW MUCH lower?) and in exchange getting such low sales. Now they totally screwed what was left of their fanbase, I seriously doubt a one-year late port would get decent results.

 

[Haunted]

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

Perhaps they could have made more money through releasing the game on a lower end product, but that would have only had positive effects on the company rather than the game itself.

And if we're talking about quality, it should've been on PC, not a console.

 

[Akai]

Out of curiousity, what is of greater interest to you? The quality of the game experience or Namco's bottom line? I mean, the experience of Vesperia was improved through release on XBOX360. We received a better product.

You speak as if Tales of Vesperia does stuff (gameplay-wise) that couldn't be done on Wii or PS2...I LOVE Vesperia, but come on...

 

[klee123]

It's called LOWER DEV COSTS and DEV KITS AVAILABLE EARLIER, not money hats. I don't know why some folks keep making this mistake even though time and time again Namco have stated the reasons in interviews.

Riiight, and I'll believe you when I actually see more Namco 360 games being ported to the PS3 other than Eternal Sonata, but it's not gonna happen, otherwise we would have been ports of AC6 and Katamari already. After all, the last few Bamco sales reports constantly shows that PS3 still sells more software than on 360 right? They aren't even giving the PS3 a fucking chance.


Seriously 1 year ago, that sort of excuse could stick, due to the lower PS3 having its first year, but not now. Especially for games like Ace combat.


Either way Namco is fucked. Better stick to the PS2.

 

[BishopLamont]

Timeline:

New Wii game announced -> ToV launch

Oh ok, then the testing water theory I said before makes more sense.

 

[mollipen]

I know I'm a JRPG fan but if any game deserved to sell 500k it was Tales of Vesperia. I liked just about everything about it. It's certainly a stronger game than Infinite Undiscovery that we know shipped over 400k and is in the same genre.

Now, to be fair, I've only played the demo that was up in the Xbox Marketplace, so this opinion probably isn't fair, but I thought Vesperia was total garbage. Felt like nothing more than another terrible cliche-ridden animu RPG. (And please understand this comes from somebody who used to love those type of games.)

Was it really, honestly a decent game?

Oh, and as far as Namco, I have absolutely no love for them anymore after their ample amount of shenanigans in Soul Calibur IV.

 

[poppabk]

It's called LOWER DEV COSTS and DEV KITS AVAILABLE EARLIER, not money hats. I don't know why some folks keep making this mistake even though time and time again Namco have stated the reasons in interviews.

This doesn't make sense for exclusivity though, just why they would choose to lead with the 360 and then port to PS3.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Now, to be fair, I've only played the demo that was up in the Xbox Marketplace, so this opinion probably isn't fair, but I thought Vesperia was total garbage. Felt like nothing more than another terrible cliche-ridden animu RPG. (And please understand this comes from somebody who used to love those type of games.)

Was it really, honestly a decent game?

Oh, and as far as Namco, I have absolutely no love for them anymore after their ample amount of shenanigans in Soul Calibur IV.

Yuri and Rita alone makes it worth it, most of the rest of the game just piles on the greatness

Spoiler

sorta cliche in the "3rd quarter" of the game though, and a few other small legitimate complaints

. Imagine Abyss with the awesome cranked up a couple notches.

 

[Pein]

Now, to be fair, I've only played the demo that was up in the Xbox Marketplace, so this opinion probably isn't fair, but I thought Vesperia was total garbage. Felt like nothing more than another terrible cliche-ridden animu RPG. (And please understand this comes from somebody who used to love those type of games.)

Was it really, honestly a decent game?

Oh, and as far as Namco, I have absolutely no love for them anymore after their ample amount of shenanigans in Soul Calibur IV.

I thought it was total shit when I played the demo, love the full game though

 

[ymmv]

It's called LOWER DEV COSTS and DEV KITS AVAILABLE EARLIER, not money hats. I don't know why some folks keep making this mistake even though time and time again Namco have stated the reasons in interviews.

Rubbish. Humbug. Nonsense.

Every developer in the world got the Xbox 360 dev kit at least a year earlier than the PS3 dev kit. Every developer in the world had a 12 month headstart with 360 games yet most developers were able to get PS3 versions of their games released along with the 360 version in 2007. That excuse is even less valid in 2008. Just about every multi platform game for the PS3 is released at the exact same time as the 360 version. Namco did a simultaneous multi plaform worldwide release for Soul Calibur 4, but the tech behind Tales of Versperia was so complex it had to be postponed for at least a year for the PS3...? Please ...

The only thing that explains this is an exclusivity contract with MS that's under NDA, so they use the 'we lost our PS3 dev kit where iz it??' excuse.

 

[Aru]

720k units for Burst Limit ? :'(
NOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I don't want Burst Limit 2 next year :/
I want Tenkaichi 4 or something new !

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Rubbish. Humbug. Nonsense.

Every developer in the world got the Xbox 360 dev kit at least a year earlier than the PS3 dev kit. Every developer in the world had a 12 month headstart with 360 games yet most developers were able to get PS3 versions of their games released along with the 360 version in 2007. That excuse is even less valid in 2008. Just about every multi platform game for the PS3 is released at the exact same time as the 360 version. Namco did a simultaneous multi plaform worldwide release for Soul Calibur 4, but the tech behind Tales of Versperia was so complex it had to be postponed for at least a year for the PS3...? Please ...

The only thing that explains this is an exclusivity contract with MS that's under NDA, so they use the 'we lost our PS3 dev kit where iz it??' excuse.

I read an interviewer with a developer at Namco (can't find it to save my life but I'm looking) where he was asked this very thing and he said that Microsoft actually loaned them dev kits for free... not gave them to them but loaned them to them. When they went to Sony, they wanted to charge an arm and a leg for their dev kits so at the time, they just decided to stay with MS since that was as huge financial burden off their shoulders.

There are other ways to support a developer and save them money then just a blank check or "money hats" you know. It isn't all a conspiracy.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

720k units for Burst Limit ? :'(
NOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I don't want Burst Limit 2 next year :/
I want Tenkaichi 4 or something new !

This is Bandai, count on all three plus DB DS 2.

 

[Paracelsus]

There are other ways to support a developer and save them money then just a blank check or "money hats" you know. It isn't all a conspiracy.

And you think that all the copies that would have been sold with the game multiplatform from the very beginning but haven't would not be worth a leg and an arm, or even more?

 

[soco]

Rubbish. Humbug. Nonsense.

Every developer in the world got the Xbox 360 dev kit at least a year earlier than the PS3 dev kit. Every developer in the world had a 12 month headstart with 360 games yet most developers were able to get PS3 versions of their games released along with the 360 version in 2007. That excuse is even less valid in 2008. Just about every multi platform game for the PS3 is released at the exact same time as the 360 version. Namco did a simultaneous multi plaform worldwide release for Soul Calibur 4, but the tech behind Tales of Versperia was so complex it had to be postponed for at least a year for the PS3...? Please ...

The only thing that explains this is an exclusivity contract with MS that's under NDA, so they use the 'we lost our PS3 dev kit where iz it??' excuse.

conspiracy theory FTW!

there are far more explanations. sometimes it's just an issue of the team working on it and decisions by the team early on. sure they could have changed halfway through and decided to go back and make everything multiplatform, but that'd potentially delay some revenue. trying to compare against soul calibur doesn't really get you anywhere because they're different teams and completely different tech, and quite possibly they reused a lot of stuff from their previous multiplatform engines. the tales team has always done the port after initial release thing. did they sign exclusivity agreements with Nintendo for some of those games?