What is Sony's investment in Colopl Rune Story?
They distribute the game in Taiwan. They presumably don't get any of the Japanese earnings from the game.
What is Sony's investment in Colopl Rune Story?
Yes.
Why not?
I think, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a good example. Also, "niche"JRPG.
Bandai Namco shipped over 1.1 million copies worldwide as for March 2014.
I don't have Japan LTD numbers, but according to Dengeki:
1 week http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=32961277&postcount=370
2 week http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=33160454&postcount=311
and can't even find this game in top20 on 3rd week http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=33310646&postcount=518
So Atlus will start giving Persona 5 for free like Ni no Kuni?
Didn't most of Ni No Kuni's JP sales come from the DS version?
that doesn't explain the announce of Ni No Kuni 2
that doesn't explain the announce of Ni No Kuni 2
No. With DS version it was 1.7 shipped. 1.1 million just for PS3 https://www.engadget.com/2014/03/08/ni-no-kuni-shipments-pass-1-1-million-series-clears-1-7-million/
What does this have to do with what I said. Ni no Kuni topped 1 million shipment at west for a specific reason.
I know they're aiming NNK 2 more towards the west but it's weird how they're not capitalizing on those 1.7 million DS buyers by releasing a 3DS or NX version.
They're college grads that are hired about ~100-150 per year, so they're learning on a lot of these small projects you see like Project Palm and Megumi Meguri.
I imagine that Monster Hunter Stories tie-in mobile game was also newer staff given it's a match 3 title.
After that there's just a lot of people who are going to be doing art asset creation for something like Resident Evil 7. Resident Evil 6 had 150 Capcom staff and 450 contractors, so I imagine there's a much higher Capcom number involved now.
According to Capcom's view of gaming history, Wii U's launch was more important than any handheld platform's lol
It was 600k, and a huge amount were sold at bomba bin prices.
There's nothing stopping Level-5 from releasing an NX version of NNK2.
Makes sense. Didn't so many contractors worked on RE6, maybe that's why the game looked bad.
It's commonplace for AAA productions. Naughty Dog has like a dozen contracted studios making art assets and no one would say their games look bad.
I know they're aiming NNK 2 more towards the west but it's weird how they're not capitalizing on those 1.7 million DS buyers by releasing a 3DS or NX version.
So why Capcom is expanding the internal team?
Ōkami;217883435 said:By next week, software sales of PS4 in 2016 will already be higher than total software sales in 2015.
So why Capcom is expanding the internal team?
So why Capcom is expanding the internal team?
Well as Tsujimoto says it's good to foster and develop internal talent because contractors/external developers can easily stop working with the publisher. Definitely not the only reason but an obvious one.
To be clear, the mobile contractor concern is a separate thing where you have lots of highly in demand independent full game studios.
The reason they're using less art outsourcing houses and Western developers for their console games is that it's cheaper to make games internally due to Capcom's relatively low salaries.
Ugh, Square Enix wants me to dig through 74 pages of Square nonsense after 56 pages of Capcom nonsense. : (
Just check the nx part. Easy.Be the hero we need, Niro.
Just check the nx part. Easy.
Well there's a part where Matsuda says it's not really worth developing handheld titles if they are not also available on mobile...
Square Enix said:1) Enhancing our offering of premium apps for smart devices
Currently, the global market for smart device games is dominated by F2P (free to play) games, and the
market for premium games that players pay to purchase is practically nonexistent. However, our Group
has for some time been offering premium games for smart devices, including brand new titles. When
viewed across the Group, these offerings represent a considerable volume of earnings.
F2P games have achieved remarkable growth thanks to their massive download numbers and
significant active user bases that generate fee revenues. Many companies entered the market
because of the perception that F2P games cost less to develop than traditional console games while
also offering the potential for significant earnings. As a result, the market as a whole saw major growth,
but competition reached excessive levels. Meanwhile, marked advancements were made in smart
device performance, and consumers of F2P games grew more demanding. As such, the market
ceased to provide major returns for low-budget development.
However, the picture for premium games is different. Initial development costs for both F2P and
premium games are roughly the same as or even higher than those for new games for dedicated
handheld game machines. In other words, the level of investment required cannot be considered low
risk. The risk involved in F2P games is even higher than for premium games because of the need to
spend on ongoing operational and additional development efforts.
F2P games generate massive download numbers because basic play is free. They thereby
establish significant active user bases and present major earnings potential. Premium games, meanwhile,
offer the advantage of generating purchases over a long period of time after their initial development
costs have been fully depreciated.
Premium games naturally need to be modified to keep pace with frequent OS updates and require
ongoing marketing spending to generate user awareness. However, smart devices still provide a
better platform for playing greatly loved games for many years than dedicated game consoles do
because of the latter’s issues with backward compatibility.
Continuing the comparison with dedicated handheld game machines, we note that significant
advances have been made in both the specs and operability of smart devices and that this evolution
is likely to continue unabated. Moreover, smart devices have a much greater installed base globally
than dedicated handheld game machines. The smartphone-native generation already sees smart
devices as all-in-one game consoles.
For these reasons, it makes sense for game manufacturers such as ourselves to supply
games that we have traditionally developed for dedicated handheld game machines not only for
such consoles but also for multipurpose smart devices.
We believe that the operability of smart devices makes them a good match for turn- and
simulation-based RPGs, among other games. We see turn-based RPGs as a style or format of
game and do not believe them to be outdated at all. The development of such RPGs is something
that our Group has exceled at for some time.
By releasing new RPGs not only for dedicated handheld game machines but also for smart
devices, we hope to develop the premium game market into a pillar of our business on a par with
the F2P market. In so doing, we believe that we can enrich the portable game market in the
broader sense in order to respond to a variety of customer needs.
Btw, FIFA 17 will be huge since adds J-League.
Do you think? What do folks expect for this game?Doubt it.
2) VR/AR
2016 is being referred to as “year zero” for VR as VR machines, peripherals, and content are finally
making their way to the market in significant volumes. Our Group is also extremely interested in this
domain and already working on developing VR content for some of our projects. That said,
consumers cannot grasp the appeal of VR without having experienced it, so the spread of VR is
currently being driven by supply-side entities such as hardware manufacturers and game
developers. While equipment and other purchases currently demand a significant upfront
investment on the part of users, VR offers never-before-experienced surprises and the possibility
for a variety of applications that extend beyond the world of gaming. We therefore look for VR to
grow into a major market.
Effectively leveraging VR and AR will enrich our Group’s content portfolio, and we also plan to
develop unique VR and AR content. We provide content in a wide range of formats, including not
only consumer game consoles and smart devices but also amusement machines, publications,
and even tangible objects like figurines. We look forward to our creators applying their talents to
generate new chemical reactions by combining new VR and AR technologies with such content.
We note also that VR and AR are catchall terms for technologies that can take on a variety of
forms, and we believe that our Group should offer content that leverages our unique strengths. In
our view, gamers are likely to come to expect a “VR mode” as a standard feature on HD game
consoles. Incorporating VR content into HD games enables us to create a more immersive gaming
experience. We believe this represents the very domain that will enable us to further demonstrate
our Group’s strengths.
AI (artificial intelligence) is another field undergoing significant innovation. We intend to
leverage our advanced research in the realm of gaming AI and believe that gaming AI technology
we have developed in entertainment contexts will likely be applied in fields such as the development
of robots. We feel certain that once robots expand from the B2B realm to the B2C realm, consumers
will expect their robots to be entertaining. Our gaming AI technology and insights may help in that
realm. We intend to look for ways to become involved in robot AI technology from the perspective
of entertainment.
Ōkami;217883435 said:Dengeki is the most generous on Persona 5 sales, they say 300k just the PS4 version.
Terraria just 1.256 units, digital doesn't show a hot performance either.
Recore is not on the Dengeki chart, but given XB1 software sales it must have been around 1k.
DQVIII on 3DS is back on their chart too, 915k, should be above 950k with digital, it might just make it to 1m.
Also, more than 12m physical PS4 games have been sold in Japan. Wii U still below 11.5m.
By next week, software sales of PS4 in 2016 will already be higher than total software sales in 2015.
About 5m.
Okay, Square Enix wants to work in VR/AR and also... make entertainment robots.
Okay, the rest of the report covers:
1.) Square Enix's corporate management philosophies as expressed through gaia-isms.
2.) Repeated information from their end of year report.
3.) Square Enix's expansion into emerging markets (BRIC and the Middle-East).
4.) Square Enix's audit practices and corporate governance.
5.) Do you know how based all of our products are? So based.
I'm going to assume no one wants me to pull these out, but if they do, I can do so.
Pull it out for me
I want to see it if its not very big
Management Guidelines
These guidelines reflect the foundation of principles upon which our corporate philosophy stands, and serve as a standard of value for
the Group and its members. We shall strive to achieve our corporate goals while closely considering the following:
1. Professionalism
We shall exhibit a high degree of professionalism, ensuring optimum results in the workplace. We shall display initiative, make continued
efforts to further develop our expertise, and remain sincere and steadfast in the pursuit of our goals, while ultimately aspiring to forge a
corporate culture disciplined by the pride we hold in our work.
2. Creativity and Innovation
To attain and maintain new standards of value, there are questions we must ask ourselves: Is this creative? Is this innovative?
Mediocre dedication can only result in mediocre achievements. Simply being content with the status quo can only lead to a collapse
into oblivion. To prevent this from occurring and to avoid complacency, we must continue asking ourselves the aforementioned questions.
3. Harmony
Everything in the world interacts to form a massive system. Nothing can stand alone.
Everything functions with an inevitable accord to reason. It is vital to gain a proper understanding of the constantly changing tides,
and to take advantage of these variations instead of struggling against them. We shall continue to work towards harmony and serve as
an integral part of this ever-fluctuating system.
In order to achieve ideal performance levels, we as individuals, shall aim for a mutual respect amongst our coworkers, remain conscious
of the duties assigned us, and place an emphasis on teamwork.
As a corporate organization, we shall work diligently to maintain an optimal balance culminating in the ultimate satisfaction of all our
stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, counterparties, and employees.
As a business entity, we shall contemplate what functions we are to perform within the realm of industry, while acting in a manner
that ensures the mutual harmony and benefit of all parties within it.
Finally, as a member of society, we shall comply with laws and regulations while fulfilling our civic obligations, including community
involvement and environmental conservation.
Digital Entertainment Business Segment
In the fiscal year ended March 2016, games for smart devices continued to demonstrate strong
growth in the Japanese market, driving overall Group earnings. New titles released in the first half of
the fiscal year ended March 2016, such as “MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY” and “KINGDOM HEARTS
Unchained ,” which leverage key IP (intellectual property), delivered brisk performances throughout
the fiscal year. Titles such as “HOSHI NO DRAGON QUEST,” “FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS,” and
“Grimms Notes” released in the second half of the fiscal year were also strong performers right out of
the gate. With this accumulation of new titles, the percentage of total Digital Entertainment Business
Segment sales accounted for by games for smart devices saw significant year-on-year growth in the
fiscal year ended March 2016. Some are quick to point out slowing growth and increased competition
in Japan’s smartphone game market, but it remains a market in which new titles can succeed by
delivering new gaming experiences, and new titles frequently make their way to the upper end of the
sales rankings. As device technology advances at a furious pace and consumers grow increasingly
discerning, how companies go about delivering new gaming experiences has become the key
determinant of success in a market where the true value of content is evaluated. We will also target
further growth by rolling out titles that offer a variety of gaming styles and that run the gamut from
derivatives of big franchises to brand new IP.
We also released a wide range of HD (high-definition) games in the fiscal year ended March
2016. These included the latest installments in the major franchises from our Western studios such as
“Rise of the Tomb Raider,” “JUST CAUSE 3,” and “HITMAN”; “DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS,” which
offers a new way to enjoy the world of “Dragon Quest”; and “I Am Setsuna,” which leverages newly
developed IP to bring a fresh sensibility to the turn-based JRPG (Japanese-style role-playing game)
genre. All of these offerings serve to make our Group’s game portfolio richer.
HD games are at the heart of our Group’s content portfolio, and we believe that continued
investment in this domain bolsters our Group’s enterprise value in a variety of ways, including by
helping us to acquire the latest technology and enhance our brand value. Moreover, leveraging the IP
assets derived from our HD games in a diversity of ways provides us with further earnings opportunities,
which is another reason why we see continued investment in HD game development as vital.
In the MMO (massively multiplayer online game) domain, “DRAGON QUEST X” and “FINAL
FANTASY XIV” continued to help generate stable earnings. We released new content for both of those
titles in the fiscal year ended March 2016 via the launch of expansion packs. Player retention is a key
earnings indicator in the MMO business, and the release of these expansion packs played a significant
part in helping us not only retain existing players but also attract returning players and new players.
We have no plans for expansion pack releases in the fiscal year ending March 2017, but we intend to
continue to strive for customer satisfaction in the operation of our MMO games, with the aim of
retaining existing players and welcoming new ones.
The Digital Entertainment segment consists of planning, development, distribution,
and operation of digital entertainment content, primarily in the form of games.
Digital entertainment content is offered to meet customer lifestyles across a
variety of usage environments such as consumer game consoles (including
handheld game machines), personal computers and smart devices.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, in the area of content for
platforms such as smart devices and PC browsers, existing games are
continuing to show strong performances, coupled with successful launches of
new game titles for smartphones such as “MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY,” “HOSHI
NO DRAGON QUEST,” “FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS” and “Grimms Notes.”
Among console game titles, “JUST CAUSE 3” and “Rise of the Tomb Raider”
made solid starts. Revenues from operation and expansion disc sales of
massively multiplayer online role-playing games such as “FINAL FANTASY XIV”
and “DRAGON QUEST X” are sustaining their strong performances.
Net sales and operating income in the Digital Entertainment segment
totaled ¥158,964 million (an increase of 42.0% from the prior fiscal year) and
¥27,456 million (an increase of 58.9% from the prior fiscal year), respectively
3) Expanding into emerging markets
We have cited expansion into emerging markets as a target for the past several years, but
unfortunately have not produced sufficient results. During that time, emerging markets have
continued their steady growth, and it goes without saying that taking advantage of the growth in
those markets needs to be a key focus under our Group’s growth strategy.
China is a leading country in terms of gaming and online and mobile gaming, in particular.
As such, it is a key market on a par with those of Japan and the West. We believe that partnerships
with local companies will prove effective in developing our content business there and intend to
continue to collaborate with key players.
The Middle East and Latin America (especially Mexico and Brazil) are growing rapidly as
consumer markets. Language localization is critical to supplying our games to these countries. To
date, our localization efforts have focused primarily on the so-called EFIGS languages (English,
French, Italian, German and Spanish). However, to improve access to our games for large populations,
we believe that we also need to localize into Chinese (simplified), Arabic and Portuguese.
Our Western studios have produced multilingual offerings for some time, but we believe that
our Japanese studios urgently need to develop the capacity to localize into these major languages
at any given time and are working to ensure that at the moment. We also believe that by localizing
our globally strategic titles, we should be able to enhance our presence in the relevant regions, thus
laying the groundwork for our emerging markets strategy.
This is how our businesses performed in the fiscal year ended March 2016 and what we
expect for the fiscal year ending March 2017 and beyond. In the fiscal year ended March 2016, our
net sales exceeded ¥200 billion for the first time, and we set a new record at the profit attributable
to owners of parent line as well. By implementing the aforementioned initiatives, we intend to strive
for further growth in our sales and profits.
Dividends will serve as the centerpiece of our shareholder return policy, and we will target a
consolidated payout ratio of 30% while giving consideration to the appropriate balance between
investing and distributing our profits. From VR through AR to AI, we are seeing a constant stream
of new investment and business opportunities. We believe that such opportunities should not be
missed and that investments in future growth should be made in a timely fashion.
We look forward to your continued support.
Well there's a part where Matsuda says it's not really worth developing handheld titles if they are not also available on mobile...
3. Harmony
Everything in the world interacts to form a massive system. Nothing can stand alone.
Everything functions with an inevitable accord to reason. It is vital to gain a proper understanding of the constantly changing tides,
and to take advantage of these variations instead of struggling against them. We shall continue to work towards harmony and serve as
an integral part of this ever-fluctuating system.
This sounds weird out of context.Pull it out for me
I want to see it if its not very big
Wait how come we aren't getting Dengeki charts any more?
no one bothered to do so after 1st Course (I think?) stopped doing it lol
What makes you so sure?
There is no way to gauge the interest growth for the franchise in the west since ps2 emulation became a thing and digital sales for p3fes and p4 on the ps3 arent known
The only guideline we have is p4 golden, which admittedly did very well, over a very long time.
But some of the later numbers for the west have been odd, didnt bloodborne, a game highly anticipated, sell not much beyond 1 mill?
Nirolak said:- Arcade Archives: I'm re-bolding this and editing the entry to reflect that there are basically a variety of older arcade titles for this program announced at TGS and I feel they make more sense as one lump entry.
- M2 ShotTriggers (M2/Various): This is similar to arcade archives, but for classic shmups from various publishers and developers.
Thought folks might find this article about Ace Attorney 6 recently. Seems like they spent a ton of time on the 3D Models in this game vs. the last one.
http://www.capcom-unity.com/zeroobj...nd-scarves-gorgeous-3d-models-in-fluid-motion
Nirolak's opinion as of this week:
- While there was a ton of small game and lower-mid tier titles announced during the TGS period, the larger and upper mid-tier content were pretty sparse. I get the sense that the PS4's support was largely announced years in advance to try and build confidence in the system, while the NX is suppressing a lot of the Nintendo handheld output. Given the scenarios surrounding this year, I think this was about the best that could be expected, but I can't help but feel at least some disappointment. It will be interesting to see next year, since it has a chance for strong recovery as the announced PlayStation games release, and the NX will most likely be unveiled by then. The two also have a strong chance of sharing much of their library, which could help generate more investment in larger titles given the larger potential audience.