Namco Bandai Q1: Soul Calibur V sales hit 1 million, profits ups

Namco Bandai bucked the trend to release promising results for the first quarter of the financial year.

The diverse Japanese company posted total sales of ¥108.6 billion, a 23% year-on-year increase from the ¥88.2 billion of a year ago. This resulted in net income of ¥10.2 billion, a whopping 214% up from 2011's ¥3.2 billion.

The group's Content division, into which gaming falls, produced higher sales than any other, with ¥59.9 billion - a 160% increase. Within the broader division, arcade and network content both outperformed traditional software sales, which came in at ¥13.8 billion yen.

In Japan, the company shifted 270,000 home console titles, and 711,000 portable titles. In the US, it managed 2 million home console sales and 500,000 portable sales. Europe lagged behind with 395,000 console sales and 150,000 portable sales.

Namco Bandai released five new PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 titles with sales of 1.3 million and 948,000 respectively; six PSP titles with 549,000 sales; two DS titles with 270,000 sales; four 3DS titles with 322,000 sales; and one Wii game which shifted 386,000 units.

Soul Calibur V shifted 680,000 units during the quarter, pushing it to 1.3 million sales life to date, and making it the publisher's strongest offering.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations followed with 440,000 sales, and then PSP effort Toriko Gourmet Survival 2 with 100,000 sales.

Namco Bandai has revised its projections modestly upwards for the half year based on expected strong performance from the Content division, although full year projections remain static.