Japanese firm Sega Sammy has recorded a loss year-on-year of ¥6.4 billion ($60.3 million) in Q1 FY2021.
The company has attributed this loss to the coronavirus, as the pandemic swept across the world, which harmed many companies. Furthermore, Sega Sammy has stated that it expects to see a loss for the entire year as a direct result of COVID-19. However, the company did hit ¥48.3 billion ($455 million) in overall sales for the first quarter of FY21.
Meanwhile, the company’s free-to-play titles, across both PC and mobile, brought in ¥10.4 billion ($98 million). It is an improvement upon Q1 FY2020 in which ¥9.1 billion ($85.8 million).
Consumer aid
“In the consumer field, the effect of consumption from staying at home due to the prevention for the spread of COVID-19 was observed, with strong performance of Full Game, especially in repeat sales of existing titles, sales amounted to 12,980 thousand copies (6,490 thousand copies for the same period in the previous fiscal year),” reads Sega Sammy’s report.
“In the free-to-play games (F2P*), the sales have been recorded steady performance such as “PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 (North American version)” was strongly launched in April 2020.”
Sega Sammy’s mobile division suffered a hit earlier this year when developer Demiurge was bought back by co-founder Albert Reed. Sega Heroes and Crazy Taxi Idle Tycoon were both shut down as a result.
