Updated Mar 17, 2026 by GREE
Financial · May 1, 2023
Published by GREE
GREE’s financial performance and strategic outlook for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 highlight a period of international expansion and technological evolution. The successful launch of overseas versions of Heaven Burns Red serves as a primary driver for the Internet and Entertainment Business. While specific long-term forecasts remain premature only three months post-launch, initial sales levels align with market expectations, indicating a strong start in global territories. For the upcoming fourth quarter, the company anticipates operating income of approximately 1.5 billion yen in this segment, accounting for the natural tapering of revenue following major anniversary events in the Japanese market. The metaverse platform REALITY represents a significant pillar of growth, having surpassed 10 million global users. The platform distinguishes itself from competitors through high daily active user engagement and a proven monetization model centered on avatars and livestreaming. Strategic development for REALITY involves the integration of generative AI to facilitate user-generated content, mirroring successful industry trends seen in platforms like Fortnite. Current experimental applications of AI focus on the automated creation of 3D assets, including avatars and environmental elements, to enhance the service's scalability and creative depth. Financial stability is further supported by the Investment and Incubation Business, which expects to post roughly 0.5 billion yen in operating income for the fourth quarter. This figure is largely secured through dividend income from corporate venture capital funds. Collectively, these results demonstrate a dual focus on maintaining core gaming profitability while aggressively scaling a monetized metaverse ecosystem for a global audience. The geographic scope emphasizes a shift toward international markets, particularly as the domestic Japanese mobile market matures and the company seeks to leverage its technological strengths in AI and virtual communities.
■Summary of main supplementary explanations questions and answers at the FY2023 Third Quarter GREE results briefing held on May 11, 2023 【Q1 】 Can you let us know about earnings contribution and the outlook for overseas versions of Heaven Burns Red? 【A1 】 As it has only been roughly three months since the release of overseas versions of Heaven Burns Red, it is not possible to provide an accurate forecast at this time. However, overseas versions have gotten off to a quick start and we have achieved sales levels in line with the scale of the markets in which these versions were released. 【Q2 】 What are the strengths of REALITY when compared with metaverse services offered by other companies? 【A2 】 We see two main strengths. The first is that a large community has already been formed in REALITY. REALITY’s user numbers are growing rapidly, especially overseas, and the number of global users has surpassed 10 million. In addition, many of our users visit REALITY on a daily basis. This is extremely rare among global metaverse services. REALITY’s second strength is that progress has already been made in terms of monetization. Many metaverse services have been unable to achieve monetization despite having large user bases. One of REALITY’s strengths is that we have achieved steady monetization via avatars and livestreams, etc.
is that progress has already been made in terms of monetization. Many metaverse services have been unable to achieve monetization despite having large user bases. One of REALITY’s strengths is that we have achieved steady monetization via avatars and livestreams, etc. 【Q3 】 How is REALITY making use of generative AI? 【A3 】 Other companies operating metaverse services (such as Fortnite) have allowed users to make use of generative AI to create user-generated content (UGC), which has contributed to the expansion and development of services. We aim for REALITY to gradually evolve into a metaverse that incorporates such UGC elements. We have already begun to experimentally use AI to create 3D assets such as avatars and world elements. 【Q4 】 What is the income outlook for 4Q FY2023 in the Internet and Entertainment Business? 【A4 】 Due to the winding down of contribution from anniversary events for the Japanese version of Heaven Burns Red and the release of overseas versions, we expect operating income in the Internet and Entertainment Business in 4Q of roughly ¥1.5 billion. 【Q5】 What is the income outlook for 4Q FY2023 in the Investment and Incubation Business? 【A5】 Because we have received dividend income from CVC funds in 4Q, we expect to post
operating income from already-secured sources of roughly ¥0.5 billion in the Investment and Incubation Business in 4Q.
GREE’s financial performance for the second quarter of fiscal year 2023 reflects a strategic transition toward global expansion and internal IP development. While the Game and Anime business experienced a temporary sales decline following the conclusion of major anniversary events for Heaven Burns Red, the Metaverse and Commerce and DX segments maintained steady growth. Management anticipates a recovery in the third quarter, projecting operating income for the Internet and Entertainment Business between ¥1.0 billion and ¥1.5 billion. This outlook is driven by the one-year anniversary of Heaven Burns Red in Japan and its expansion into Korean and traditional Chinese markets, where pre-registration interest has been high. The Metaverse Business, centered on the REALITY platform, has reached a significant milestone by surpassing its breakeven point to achieve profitability. Growth is increasingly driven by international markets, with North America, Indonesia, and Thailand following Japan in user concentration. The platform attracts a predominantly female, Generation Z demographic who utilize the service for private communication. Monetization remains consistent across regions through live-stream gifting, avatar sales, and in-game purchases. To sustain this momentum, the company plans to increase advertising expenditures to scale REALITY into a global platform with hundreds of millions of users. Strategic initiatives in the Anime Business focus on securing proprietary IP and diversifying development pipelines to enhance long-term profitability. By producing anime in-house, the company aims to create a synergistic ecosystem where media content drives deeper engagement with its gaming titles. Although the Investment and Incubation Business faces near-term volatility and potential quarterly losses due to current market conditions, the company maintains a positive medium-to-long-term outlook based on its diversified investment portfolio. Overall, the strategy emphasizes aggressive promotional investment to solidify market share in the global entertainment and metaverse sectors.
The financial performance for the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 reflects a period of stabilization and strategic reinvestment across key business segments. The game business experienced a typical seasonal slowdown following the fourth-quarter peak, yet maintained a solid foundation through the sustained success of Heaven Burns Red. This title has established a stable user base, and its high level of visual expressiveness and multifaceted marketing approach now serve as the internal benchmark for future development and operational strategies. Management anticipates a recovery in momentum toward the end of the calendar year, driven by planned anniversary events and new content releases. The metaverse business has reached a significant financial milestone by achieving breakeven status. Current efforts are focused on expanding the user base for the REALITY platform, with profits being systematically reinvested into promotional activities to secure long-term growth. In contrast, the outlook for the investment and incubation business remains cautious due to volatile market conditions. While some distributions from investment exits are expected, there is a recognized risk of quarterly losses if these distributions fail to offset operational costs, leading to a conservative earnings forecast for this segment in the near term. Projected operating income for the internet and entertainment business in the second quarter is estimated to fall between 1.0 billion and 1.5 billion yen. This guidance accounts for the ongoing transition of the game portfolio and the deliberate reinvestment strategy within the metaverse sector. Overall, the strategy emphasizes leveraging the technical and operational know-how gained from recent hits to ensure the scalability of upcoming titles while maintaining a disciplined approach to emerging business segments and venture investments.
The strategic focus for the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 centers on the expansion of the REALITY platform and the stabilization of the Investment and Incubation Business. Management intends to maintain a consistent level of advertising investment for REALITY, adhering to a recovery standard that ensures marketing spend is recouped over a defined period. Beyond advertising, capital is being directed toward app development, specifically targeting labor and outsourcing costs to enhance platform functionality. This investment strategy aims to capitalize on the growing global audience for Japanese anime aesthetics, which serves as the primary differentiator for the platform in the emerging metaverse sector. Competitive advantages are defined by the integration of social networking service functions with gaming elements within a stylized virtual environment. While the metaverse segment remains a high-growth priority, the Internet and Entertainment Business anticipates a second-quarter operating income in the range of several hundred million yen. This projection accounts for the revenue contributions of new game titles balanced against increased development and outsourcing expenditures required for upcoming releases. The Investment and Incubation Business is positioned as a source of long-term stable income, though performance remains subject to quarterly volatility. Because returns are primarily derived from dividend distributions from venture capital funds, precise timing for income recognition is difficult to forecast. Despite this inherent unpredictability, the segment is expected to provide a meaningful contribution to the overall financial health of the organization as it navigates the transition toward metaverse-driven growth and diversified digital entertainment offerings.
GREE Group concluded fiscal year 2023 with net sales of ¥75.4 billion and operating income of ¥12.5 billion, demonstrating resilience despite a revenue contraction in the final quarter. While the core Game and Anime segment experienced a decline in sales and income due to a reactionary dip following major promotional events for Heaven Burns Red, the Investment Business emerged as a primary driver of profitability. This segment achieved a 1,489% year-over-year increase in operating income, supported by a total Assets Under Management of ¥80.7 billion and high-performing venture capital portfolios. The strategic outlook for fiscal year 2024 and beyond focuses on structural reforms and global expansion. The Game and Anime division is pivoting toward a multilayered development strategy with a pipeline of 17 titles scheduled through 2026, emphasizing first-party IP and international distribution to offset projected short-term revenue declines. Simultaneously, the Metaverse segment has been restructured into four specialized units—Platform, VTuber, B2B, and Web3—with the goal of achieving an overseas sales ratio exceeding 50% by 2026. Although heavy investments in VTuber productions are expected to keep the segment at a break-even level in the immediate term, these efforts are central to long-term growth in the North American market. Further diversification is evident in the DX and Commerce businesses, which are transitioning toward high-margin B2B SaaS models and integrated marketing services. The aumo platform has reached 17 million monthly active users, providing a foundation for lateral expansion into the HR sector. Despite temporary margin suppression caused by initial investments and the completion of large-scale projects, the company forecasts a 48% compound annual growth rate in Commerce sales through 2026. To support these multi-sector initiatives, the group has increased its total headcount to 1,670 employees, signaling a commitment to scaling its operational capacity across its evolving digital ecosystem.