Capcom recently released their Q&A summary for their third quarter consolidated financial results conference call for this latest fiscal year. We’ve already highlighted how Capcom intends to align Street Fighter game marketing initiatives with the movie’s release.
As outlined within the PDF, Capcom was also briefly asked about the next fiscal year. For now, Capcom is focused on their next set of new releases consisting of Pragmata and Onimusha: Way of the Sword (which were highlighted in the recent Capcom Spotlight), but they also hint that they may have some new game announcements coming later this year.
“What are the key growth drivers for the next fiscal year?” asked one of the questions in the Q&A document.
“In addition to Pragmata, new titles will be announced at a future date, and we will continue related initiatives to expanding catalog sales.” — Capcom
“We will provide details of our strategy for the next fiscal year at the time of our full-year earnings announcement. Within the Digital Contents business, our ongoing focus remains on both new and catalog title sales,” said Capcom in response.
“In addition to Pragmata, new titles will be announced at a future date, and we will continue related initiatives to expanding catalog sales.”
It would seem that Capcom has a goal of expanding their operating profit by 10% in the next fiscal year. Again, they emphasize that they’re working on “multiple titles” in order to achieve this target.
“To achieve our target of a 10% increase in operating profit in the next fiscal year and beyond, we are developing multiple titles, resulting in an accumulation of work-in-progress. However, we manage ROI (return of investment) on a title-by-title basis to ensure investment levels remain appropriate relative to planned sales volumes.”
“Beyond Pragmata and Onimusha Way of the Sword, which have already been disclosed, we ask that you wait for future announcements.” — Capcom
When asked specifically about the title lineup for the next fiscal year, Capcom simply said to await “future announcements.”
“Beyond Pragmata and Onimusha Way of the Sword, which have already been disclosed, we ask that you wait for future announcements.”
We’ve previously heard rumors that Capcom was developing a new entry for the Marvel vs. Capcom series behind closed doors. At a glance, this seems unlikely due the announcement that Arc System Works was developing Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
Would Disney really approve of two separate Marvel-themed fighting games being updated at the same time? It seems unlikely, but the aforementioned rumor suggested that that Arc System Works and Capcom were both working on Marvel fighting games.
Seeing as how this rumor surfaced before Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls was officially revealed, the possibility did gain a little credibility even if everything was happening slower than what was originally forecasted.
The existence of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics also gives the rumor a little credence. Previously, it was believed that the business relationship between Disney and Capcom had soured due to the flop that was Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, but it seems that things have been patched up since then.
We last heard that the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was able to exceed a million sales a year after a release. It’s pushed about 1.10 million in total at this point.
It’s also worth highlighting that games like Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 have largely been more successful than the best-selling entry of the Onimusha series, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny. If Capcom is willing to revive Onimusha, then Marvel vs. Capcom also looks like it’s likely to provide a good return of investment for the company.
Marvel vs. Capcom and Mortal Kombat feels like the two games most missed by the fighting game community at this moment. As such, Capcom could potentially turn this Marvel vs. Capcom “drought” into a real opportunity if they play their cards right.
