Bandai Namco has reported operating income of 44.6 billion JPY (US$438 million) and a 4.2 per cent rise in net revenues to 507 billion JPY (US$5 billion) for the fiscal year ending 31 March.
The Japanese publisher recorded strong fourth quarter European and North American sales of From Software’s Dark Souls 2, which launched on 11 March in North America and 14 March in Europe, shipping 1.2 million units.
Japanese media group Kadokawa recently acquired an 80 per cent majority stake in Dark Souls developer From Software. The Tokyo-based studio published Dark Souls games in Japan, and distributed the titles overseas in partnership with Bandai Namco.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z also sold 620,000 units worldwide, and in Japan God Eater 2 sold 700,000 units, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle shipped 550,000 units and Disney Magic Castle sold 500,000 units.
Bandai Namco’s gross profit increased by 16 per cent year-on-year, rising from 164 billion JPY (US$1.61 billion) to 190 billion JPY (US$1.86 billion), though net income dropped 22.6 per cent to 25 billion JPY (US$245 million), compared to 32.4 billion JPY in the previous fiscal year.
For the current fiscal year Bandai Namco expects 500 billion JPY in net revenues, 187 billion JPY in gross profit, 45 billion JPY in operating income and an 11.8 per cent rise in net profit to 25 billion JPY.
