Elden Ring was the most prominent game of 2022 with more than 20 million copies sold. However, Kadokawa Corporation, owner of FromSoftware, experienced a 65.8% decline in its net sales in the last quarterafter the waters calmed down.
The data is focused on the gaming segment, covering the first quarter of the current fiscal year (April to June). Kadokawa reports that “sales decreased in said segment due to the decrease in sales of Elden Ring compared to its success of the previous year”.
FromSoftware, Gotcha Gotcha Games and Spike Chunsoft are the only game developers within Kadokawa. Spike Chunsoft had poor sales with Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE on Switch. However, heThe drop in sales in this period had already been anticipated by the company.
FromSoftware stands out for its precision in launches. Unlike large studios with multiple annual releases, Hidetaka Miyazaki runs a studio that opt for longer wait intervals without compromising expressive quality.
As for Elden Ring, whose Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is still undated, FromSoftware’s parent company emphasizes: “Measures are being implemented, including the development of the DLC, to optimize its long-term value”.
The studio’s next project, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, It is released on the 25th of this month. Kadokawa anticipates a rise in sales in the current quarter due to the revival of the franchise, dormant for 11 years. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Armored Core VI and the Elden Ring DLC, if released in the current fiscal year (until April 2024), will be the main drivers of an increase in company sales.
Fountain: kadokawa
