Konami sees first-quarter financial decline

TOKYO--Konami released its financial report for the first quarter of the fiscal year, revealing that sales and profits were lower than during the same period of last year. In the three months ending June 30, Konami brought in 47.3 billion yen ($422 million) in sales, which was 17.6 percent lower than last year. Net profit was 264 million yen (2.36 million), a steep 93.7 percent fall compared to last year, when Konami earned 4.17 billion yen ($37.2 million).

Despite the company's claims that Silent Hill 4 sold well in Japan and that the Yu-Gi-Oh! series continued to hold its popularity in the overseas market, sales in the gaming sector dropped 30.5 percent to 9.1 billion yen ($81 million). In the toy and hobby department, which releases the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game in North America and Europe, sales slipped to nearly half of last year's numbers, falling 57.3 percent to 7.11 billion yen ($63 million). The sector is planning to launch a new mixed-media project with an animated television series called Get Ride! Amdriver.

However, other areas of the company managed to pick up the slack. Sales in the arcade sector rose 36 percent to 8.9 billion yen ($79 million). Konami just released a well-received card game called Battle Climaxx!!, and the company's mahjong game, Maho-Jong Fight Club, remains popular. Konami continues to make income from its release of casino machines in America, Canada, and Australia. Also, the company's little-known health and fitness sector, which operates sports club facilities and sells health equipment in Japan, is still making steady sales of 19 billion yen ($169 million), a 1.2 percent rise from last year.

For the fiscal year, Konami forecasts consolidated sales of 275 billion yen ($245 billion) and net profit of 15 billion yen ($133 million).