9 documents
UK game developer. Planet Coaster/Zoo, Elite Dangerous, Jurassic World Evolution. Founded by David Braben (Elite).
Frontier Developments plc reported a robust turnaround in its first half of FY25, with revenue of £47.3 million nearly matching the prior year’s £47.7 million and an adjusted EBITDA profit of £4.4 million, a swing from a £4.9 million loss in H1 FY24. Operating profit rose to £4.5 million from a £33.3 million loss, driven by significant cost reductions following an organisational review and the closure of Frontier Foundry. Cash reserves strengthened to £27.2 million at 30 November, rising to £30.5 million by 31 December after the November launch of Planet Coaster 2. Planet Coaster 2, released on 6 November, dominated the period by contributing 22% of total revenue and selling over 400,000 base‑game units across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series platforms within two months. The game’s launch reinforced the company’s CMS strategy, supported by strong sales of existing titles such as Planet Zoo and Jurassic World Evolution 2. Elite Dangerous also saw revenue growth through new story content, while F1® Manager 2024 added a fresh title to the portfolio. Cost efficiencies were evident: adjusted operating costs fell 25% to £28.5 million, R&D expenses dropped 21% to £19.5 million, and marketing and administrative costs declined 32%. Gross profit margin improved to 70% from 69%, reflecting a favourable revenue mix. The company maintains a positive outlook for FY25, citing continued momentum from the CMS lineup and upcoming releases. Management expressed confidence in sustaining profitability and capitalising on planned content updates, while acknowledging subscription deal timing as a variable factor. Overall, the interim results demonstrate that Frontier’s strategic reset and disciplined cost management have restored profitability and positioned the firm for continued growth in the competitive video‑game market.
Frontier Developments plc reported unaudited interim results for the six months to 30 November 2025, showing a 26 % increase in revenue to £59.6 million and a 76 % rise in adjusted operating profit to £9.7 million compared with the same period in 2024. The growth was driven primarily by the launch of Jurassic World Evolution 3, which contributed 90 % of total revenue in H1 FY26 and earned nominations at the Game Awards 2025 and BAFTA Games Awards 2026. Other titles such as Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster 2 and Elite Dangerous also performed strongly, with Planet Zoo becoming the Group’s highest‑grossing individual game. Cash profitability improved markedly; adjusted operating profit, which excludes non‑cash development capitalisation and includes tax and R&D credits, grew to £9.7 million from £5.5 million year‑on‑year. IFRS operating profit rose 73 % to £7.8 million. Gross margin fell to 64 % from 70 %, reflecting higher royalty‑bearing IP revenue. The Group’s cash balance increased to £40.1 million, up 47 % from the prior year, after a £10 million share buy‑back that raised earnings per share to 21.4 p. The Board upgraded FY26 guidance, now targeting revenue of approximately £100 million and adjusted operating profit of around £11 million, citing strong seasonal sales momentum. CEO Jonny Watts stepped down on 1 January 2026, succeeded by Jo Cooke, with Watts remaining as Executive Director until 31 May 2026 to ensure a smooth transition. The Group remains debt‑free, with no significant liabilities beyond lease obligations, and maintains a robust pipeline of CMS titles slated for release in FY27–FY28.