Bandai Namco, best known as the developer of Elden Ring, shared its financial report for the third quarter. The Japan-based gaming giant announced that it canceled development on five games as part of a focus on quality.
Bandai Namco is starting to tighten its belt
Bandai Namco said profit from its digital division, which includes games, fell 96.5 percent year-on-year. One of the biggest factors for the drop in profit is due to Elden Ring sales peaking last year. Other games in 2023 did not have this success.
During a Q&A included in the report, a Bandai Namco representative confirmed that five games in development have been canceled. The Japanese company said that stricter standards are being applied to greenlight new projects.
Bandai Namco also said it is shifting development to be more selective about which games move forward. It also said it is recording development expenses differently to better assess returns on investment.
He said that Dragon Ball, One Piece games and Armored Core 6 performed well. On the other hand, he also gave the message that the Elden Ring DLC continues to be developed. It was also intriguing that Tekken 8 has sold more than 2 million copies since its release despite the losses.
However, it stated that it will be tougher in portfolio and development processes. The company wants to optimize published games and balance big series with more casual experiences.
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