Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle

Akatsuki FY3/24 3rd Quarter Consolidated Financial Results

Akatsuki’s financial performance for the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2024 reflects a period of strategic transition characterized by flat year-over-year consolidated sales of 5.27 billion yen and an operating loss.

Akatsuki Company Overview: February 2024

Akatsuki operates as a Tokyo-based digital content enterprise focused on the strategic evolution of its intellectual property portfolio.

• Akatsuki is diversifying its business model beyond mobile gaming by expanding into the high-budget, multi-device gaming market and the vertical full-color comics sector.
• The company maintains a strong international footprint, with 39 percent of its sales generated outside of Japan across more than 170 countries.
• The firm’s venture capital portfolio, valued at over 8 billion yen, is currently yielding a return of approximately 1.6 times the initial capital outlay.

Top Games and In-App Events in the United States

This analysis examines the performance of top mobile games and the impact of in-app events within the United States market for the week of December 11 to December 17, 2023.

• Monopoly Go! maintained market leadership for the week of December 11–17, 2023, generating over $12 million in revenue and securing more than 700,000 downloads.
• A collaboration between Grand Summoners and the anime 'Ten-Sura' drove a significant spike in both revenue and downloads as players sought to summon featured characters.
• Disney Magic Kingdoms saw a 1,300% revenue spike following an in-app event featuring a collaboration with The Muppets.

Akatsuki FY3/24 2nd Quarter Financial Results

Akatsuki’s financial performance for the second quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2024 reflects a strategic pivot toward long-term growth through aggressive investment in next-generation gaming and diversified digital services.

• Akatsuki reported Q2 FY3/24 sales of ¥7,952 million, driven by the continued performance of established co-developed titles including Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle and Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe.
• Operating profit declined 16.4% year-over-year to ¥2,783 million, a result of a deliberate 60% increase in R&D and marketing expenditures for future global projects.
• The company’s investment portfolio, spanning domestic, international, and Web3 sectors, achieved an exit internal rate of return of 42.9%.

Akatsuki Consolidated Financial Results: FY3/23

Akatsuki is currently executing a strategic pivot toward large-scale, global game development and the expansion of its comics business.

• Akatsuki is executing a four-year, 22 billion yen investment plan to pivot toward large-scale global game development and comics, focusing on next-generation IP creation.
• FY3/23 financial results show a decline in consolidated sales and profits, highlighted by a 48.2% year-over-year drop in Q4 operating profit due to increased personnel costs and declining legacy title revenue.
• The company maintains a stable financial foundation with an investment portfolio valued at 22.8 billion yen and a commitment to an annual dividend of 80 yen per share.

Akatsuki Q3 Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2023 Financial Results

Akatsuki Inc.’s financial results for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, reflect a period of strategic transition as the company pivots toward a venture group structure.

Analyst Bulletin: Mobile Game Market Review September 2022

The mobile game market in September 2022 was characterized by a strategic shift toward intensified monetization and a focus on major content updates to drive engagement.

• Mobile developers are increasingly adopting aggressive monetization strategies, such as adding new or additional battle passes, in anticipation of Apple's price hikes in European and select Asian markets.
• League of Legends: Wild Rift saw a nearly 10x revenue spike in China following a September update that introduced a 1v1 PvP mode and new gacha monetization mechanics.
• Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle achieved the top-grossing position on the iOS Store in both Japan and the USA in September, driven by the success of its 'Worldwide celebration: The Strongest in the Universe' campaign.

Akatsuki FY3/23 1st Quarter Financial Results

Akatsuki Inc.’s financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2023 reflect a period of strategic investment and seasonal volatility.

Akatsuki Summary of Consolidated Financial Statements for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2023

Akatsuki’s financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, reflect a period of strategic transition and investment.

The Best April Fools' Day 2022 Mobile Game Events

Mobile game developers increasingly utilize April Fools’ Day as a strategic opportunity to drive player engagement and revenue through creative, time-limited events.

• Cookie Run: Kingdom executed the most extensive event by introducing nearly 70 temporary character costumes, unlockable via a 14-day task-based system that included narrative sequences and light monetization through event bundles.
• Garena Free Fire utilized hybrid gameplay by integrating a 10-day farming and tycoon-style event into its 3D battle royale framework, alongside a simple login-based reward of a 'Deadly Baguette' knife skin.
• Brawl Stars implemented a 'Totally Normal Challenge' that featured quirky, non-standard gameplay mechanics, such as a tilting map and a burning ball that destroyed walls upon impact.

Akatsuki FY3/22 Consolidated Financial Results

Akatsuki experienced a challenging fiscal year ending March 2022, characterized by a year-over-year decline in consolidated sales and operating profit.

First Impression Seals the Deal: Introducing Onboarding Best Practices Part 1

Effective player onboarding is a critical component for long-term engagement in mobile gaming, serving as the primary mechanism to transform new users into committed players.

• Effective onboarding requires a combination of narrative immersion and clear tutorial mechanics to ensure players understand core loops while remaining engaged.
• Storytelling elements, such as cutscenes, dialogue choices, and mascot-led guidance, help forge an emotional connection and provide a sense of purpose even in games without complex narratives.
• Tutorials should go beyond teaching basic mechanics by strategically directing player attention toward high-value features, such as powerful character upgrades or monetization paths.