The fiscal year 2019 fourth quarter results for GREE indicate a period of solid performance driven primarily by successful anniversary events for mainstay titles. While game app coin consumption showed a year-over-year decline in the second half of the fiscal year, this is attributed to a high baseline in the previous year caused by specific new title launches and international expansions. The fourth quarter of 2019 actually saw more effective anniversary event engagement than the same period in 2018, suggesting that core titles remain resilient despite broader market shifts.
The financial outlook for the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 anticipates a reactive decline in earnings following the surge from recent anniversary events, with operating income projected between 0.5 billion and 1.0 billion yen. New title releases are scheduled to begin in the second quarter and continue thereafter. A significant strategic shift involves the development of a system for simultaneous domestic and international releases, leveraging distribution and operations expertise gained throughout 2019. This approach will be applied selectively based on the specific characteristics of each title.
Regarding the overall corporate structure, the game business remains the dominant driver of performance, accounting for over 90% of companywide income. The 40% year-over-year decline in operating income for fiscal year 2019 is largely attributed to diminishing returns from the browser game segment rather than the mobile app portfolio. To address this, the company intends to maintain a balanced resource allocation, continuing to support existing high-performing titles with large teams while simultaneously investing in the development of new intellectual properties.