Konami has introduced that its final monetary 12 months (April 2021—March 2022) was probably the most worthwhile within the firm’s historical past by an enormous distance. The Japanese writer’s working revenue was ¥74.4 billion, which interprets to roughly $577 million USD, and its internet revenue was ¥54.8 billion or about $425 million.
Regardless of the notion amongst some that Konami does not make video games anymore and is principally a pachinko enterprise, the monetary outcomes present that the other is the case. What’s true, nevertheless, is that a lot of Konami’s greatest successes both do not come to the West, or largely go below the radar outdoors of their captive audiences.
A giant current success, for instance, is Yu-Gi-Oh Grasp Duel, launched on Steam in January. This F2P recreation has since amassed over 30 million gamers and can likely be stored going for a few years to return. However Konami’s additionally had a giant hit with Momtaro Dentetsu, which is simply accessible on Change in Japan, and bought over 3.5 million (this can be a long-running collection, initially a HudsonSoft joint, that is principally a cheery board recreation about prepare stations).
Inside the financials Konami breaks down its enterprise into Digital Leisure (dwelling videogames), Amusement (listed below are the pachinko machines, in addition to arcade video games like Beatmania), Sports activities (it runs leisure centres in Japan), and somewhat confusingly Gaming & Techniques (on line casino software program). Of Konami’s ¥299.5 billion in income over this monetary 12 months, ¥215 billion of that’s from Digital Leisure, and ¥19.5 billion from Amusement. There isn’t any clearer language than cash, and which means 72% of Konami’s income is coming from videogames.
Simply to ram dwelling the purpose, Konami launched 18 videogames over this monetary 12 months, admittedly a few of them doubling-up throughout cellular and PC / console. The house titles: Tremendous Bomberman R On-line; eBaseball Professional Yakyuu Spirits 2022: Grand Slam; Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Daybreak of the Battle Royale!!; Beat Area Konasute; Castlevania Advance Assortment; eFootball 2022; Tokimeki Memorial: Woman’s Aspect 4th Coronary heart; Dance Dance Revolution Grand-Prix Konasute; Energy Professional-Kun Pocket R; Sound Voltex Exceed Gear Konasute; Yu-Gi-Oh! Grasp Duel; GetsuFumaDen: Timeless Moon.
Cellular video games: jubeat; Contra Returns; Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls (iOS); eFootball 2022; Yu-Gi-Oh! Grasp Duel; Edens Zero Pocket Galaxy.
All of which is to say: Konami’s had a little bit of a monstering within the West for the reason that Kojima break up, however a variety of the issues mentioned about it are simply straight-up unfaithful. It does, admittedly, appear to be much less fascinated by bringing sure of its titles to Western audiences than different massive Japanese publishers. Nevertheless it’s not simply sitting there churning out pachinko machines.
One other notable ingredient in these monetary outcomes, although that is in all probability wishful considering, is that Konami references Steel Gear a number of occasions as considered one of its greatest franchises. The financials embody a word that the Steel Gear collection has bought 58.3 million models, making it Konami’s second-highest promoting collection after Successful Eleven / eFootball. Given right this moment’s obvious Silent Hill leak, and Konami’s aggression in going after it, that is probably not the one basic collection that has a future.