Seeing red while in the black
It’s a big week of news for publisher Bandai Namco. The studio behind gaming franchises such as Tekken, Dragon Ball Z, and the incoming Elden Ring released its latest financial results, as well as detailing some of its company plans for the coming year and beyond.
2021 was a stellar year for Bandai Namco. The studio saw a 15% year-on-year increase in revenue, translating to some ¥628.3 billion (or $5.4 billion USD). In addition, the company’s operating income saw a huge yearly increase of over 26% — hitting ¥92.1 billion (or $799 million). This success has been driven by sustained sales of numerous releases across PC, console, and mobile platforms with the majority of the cash coming from sales in Bandai Namco’s home territory of Japan.
Away from the reality of cold, hard numbers, the publisher has also announced that it is investing $96 million into the creation of a Bandai Namco “metaverse.” The concept, which is fast becoming one of the global tech industry’s most irksome buzzword, will see the company create socially driven spaces for its range of IPs and franchises. So we’re not talking Elden Ring-meets-Tekken-meets-Pac-Man… Not necessarily that kind of metaverse, more an amalgamation of individual fan communities under one banner — reportedly known as the “All Bandai Namco” program.
“Through the IP Metaverse, we will establish communities among Bandai Namco and fans, as well as among fans themselves.” explains Bandai Namco. “Through these communities and content, we will build deep, broad, multifaceted connections that continue for long periods of time, and we will focus on the quality of those connections. In this way, we will work to maximize IP value over the medium to long term.”
VGC, however, noted what is perhaps the biggest news out of Bandai Namco this week. And it does not concern billions of dollars, operating income increase, or even launching globally spanning metaverses of fans. Bandai Namco’s biggest news this week is the revelation that it is changing the color scheme of its recently revealed new logo from magenta to red — a color that the company considers “enthusiastic, fun, active, and bold.”
Like magenta.