Shin Megami Tensei

“Take Your Heart”: Why Persona 5 Royal May Be the Best JRPG for Language Learning

Persona 5 Royal serves as a highly effective tool for advanced language acquisition, primarily due to its unique integration of a calendar-based time management system and extensive, narrative-driven dialogue.

• Persona 5 Royal functions as an effective language acquisition tool for advanced learners (CEFR B2 or higher) by requiring deep engagement with narrative-driven text to optimize in-game progress.
• The game’s calendar-based time management system creates a sense of urgency that forces players to focus on linguistic details and context to succeed in social interactions and academic tasks.
• With an average completion time exceeding 120 hours, the game provides a sustained, high-volume source of contextualized Japanese language input.

Sega Sammy Holdings Financial Results Q1 FY2025: Key Questions

Sega Sammy Holdings' Q&A session following its Q1 results for the fiscal year ending March 2025 (briefing held August 7, 2024) shows ordinary income well above internal expectations, driven mainly by the Entertainment Contents segment, with the Pachislot & Pachinko Machines and Gaming businesses also tracking ahead of plan.

• Sega Sammy outperformed Q1 FY2025 expectations for ordinary income, though the company maintained its original full-year operating forecast due to the timing of upcoming major title launches.
• The Entertainment Contents segment was the primary growth driver, fueled by the release of 'Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance', 'Total War: WARHAMMER III' DLC, and revenue from the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' film franchise.
• The Pachislot and Pachinko division exceeded expectations behind the launch of 'e Hokuto No Ken 10', despite underperformance in utilization rates for high-spec Smart Pachislot titles.

Sega Sammy Holdings Consolidated Financial Results: Three Months Ended June 30, 2024

Sega Sammy Holdings reported first-quarter results for fiscal 2025 (April to June 2024) showing lower sales and operating profit but higher net income, with management characterizing the start as better than expected.

• Sega Sammy reported a 3.2% year-over-year decline in net sales to 104.7 billion yen and a 15.0% drop in operating income to 19.3 billion yen for the quarter ending June 30, 2024.
• Profit attributable to owners of the parent rose 42.1% to 24.5 billion yen, primarily driven by an 8.4 billion yen extraordinary gain from the divestiture of Phoenix Resort Co., Ltd.
• The Entertainment Contents division grew 34.0% to 72.7 billion yen, bolstered by the release of 'Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance' and the integration of Rovio Entertainment Corporation.

Our Industry News (10/06/24 - 16/06/24)

This industry news summary for the week of June 10-16, 2024, focuses on key events in the video game sector, including major showcases, legal challenges, and financial movements.

• Valve faces a £656 million lawsuit in the UK alleging that Steam’s price-parity clauses suppress market competition.
• Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase outperformed Ubisoft’s Forward event, drawing 3.8 million YouTube views with a 14:1 up-vote ratio compared to Ubisoft's 568,000 views and sub-2:1 ratio.
• GameStop raised $2 billion in capital following a recent rally in its share price.

Plus: Kingdom Hearts, Shin Megami Tensei Top Quiet Steam Debuts

This analysis provides an overview of recent and upcoming game releases and their performance across various platforms, including Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Epic Games Store, Meta Quest VR, and Fortnite.

• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance led recent Steam debuts with 16,200 concurrent users (CCU), while the Kingdom Hearts series maintained approximately 8,000 CCU across its titles.
• Steam release activity was notably quiet due to the overlap with Steam Next Fest, with only six new titles surpassing 300 CCU during their first week.
• The upcoming week is expected to see a surge in activity with ten titles launching that have over 5,000 followers, led by the social sandbox MMO Pax Dei with over 75,000 followers.

Sega Sammy Fiscal Year Ending March 2022 Q3 Results Presentation

Sega Sammy achieved substantial year-over-year growth in sales and profits during the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2022.

November Spending Down 10% Compared to 2020: US Monthly Charts

US consumer video game spending fell 10% year-on-year in November 2021 to $6.3 billion, according to NPD Group data covering the four-week tracking period from October 31 to November 27.

• US consumer spending on gaming in November 2021 decreased by 10% year-on-year to $6.3 billion, though year-to-date spending increased by 9% to $52.9 billion.
• Hardware sales in November 2021 dropped by 38% compared to 2020, reaching $883 million, the lowest November total since 2016 due to console inventory shortages.
• Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in November 2021, selling 1.13 million units in the US, and has been the top-selling console for 35 out of the last 36 months.

Sega Sammy Holdings Q1 Fiscal Year Ending March 2022: Major Questions in Results Briefing

Sega Sammy Holdings outperformed initial financial expectations for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2022, reporting a consolidated operating profit approximately 6.0 billion yen higher than projected.

• Sega Sammy outperformed Q1 FY2022 operating profit projections by approximately 6.0 billion yen, fueled by the Entertainment Contents and Pachislot/Pachinko segments.
• Consumer software sales declined compared to the pandemic-driven peak of the previous year but remained significantly above pre-pandemic levels due to a higher global baseline for gaming activity.
• The company is executing a long-term strategy to develop a 'Super Game' by 2026 while prioritizing global IP expansion through remasters and remakes.

Plus: Rome Burns Hot, NieR's Porting Fail

This GameDiscoverCo Plus newsletter, written by Simon Carless, offers subscribers a weekly roundup of Steam, Switch, and market-trend analysis from spring 2021.

• The co-op title It Takes Two has surpassed one million copies sold, indicating a strong, underserved market demand for innovative two-player gaming experiences.
• NieR Replicant’s PC launch is underperforming due to technical criticism regarding gameplay speed being tied to frame rate, despite high initial sales expectations.
• Total War: Rome Remastered currently leads Steam’s Hype charts as a top 50 unreleased wishlist title, signaling strong anticipation ahead of major AAA releases like Resident Evil Village.

Analyst Bulletin: Mobile Game Market Review December 2020

GameRefinery's December 2020 analyst bulletin reviews notable mobile game updates, events, and market developments across the US, China, and Japan, drawing on data from its game intelligence service, and closes with a Q&A with a senior US analyst on design and 2021 trends.

• Tencent successfully launched Call of Duty: Mobile in China in December 2020, where it immediately secured a top-10 grossing position following over 70 million pre-registrations.
• The Chinese mobile market saw a rare concentration of three shooter games—Game for Peace, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Crossfire—simultaneously occupying the top 10 grossing charts, all of which are published by Tencent.
• Apple removed approximately 39,000 game applications from its China store in December 2020 due to the lack of required government-issued licenses.

Sega Sammy Holdings: Major Questions Concerning Results for Third Quarter of Year Ending March 2018

Sega Sammy Holdings’ fiscal outlook for the period ending March 2018 and beyond centers on navigating regulatory shifts in the Japanese gaming machine market while capitalizing on sustained growth within the Entertainment Contents segment.

• Sega Sammy is restructuring its Pachislot and Pachinko division to comply with new Japanese voluntary regulations, with a transition period expected to last until the next fiscal year.
• The Entertainment Contents segment is outperforming forecasts, driven by the success of digital titles including Magia Record and D×2 Shin Megami Tensei Liberation.
• The company plans to drive future revenue by expanding its IP studio development systems and prioritizing global product distribution.

Gotta Catch 'Em All: The Compelling Act of Creature Collection in Pokémon, Ni No Kuni, Shin Megami Tensei, and World of Warcraft

Creature collection serves as a powerful psychological mechanism in modern gaming, transforming the act of gathering into a structured, self-affirming pursuit that transcends simple compulsive hoarding.

• Creature collection functions as a psychological mechanism that transforms gathering into a structured, self-affirming pursuit, shifting players from passive consumers to active curators.
• The genre’s success relies on four core pillars: large-scale collection, strategic battle utility, complex classification systems, and the emotional resonance of creature design.
• Games like Pokémon, Ni No Kuni, Shin Megami Tensei, and World of Warcraft elevate creatures from disposable tools to essential partners through training, management, and tactical decision-making.