Tokyo (awp/afp) – Japanese entertainment giant Sony saw its net profit jump 69% in the second quarter of its staggered financial year, mainly thanks to its activities in video games and image sensors, but left its forecasts almost unchanged on Friday.
Between July and September, the group’s net profit climbed to 338.5 billion yen (2.1 billion euros) and its operating profit took off by 73%, he detailed in a press release.
Its video game segment benefited from an increase in software sales and subscriptions to online services, as well as positive currency effects thanks to the low yen. Its activity of manufacturing image sensors for smartphones also benefited from sustained activity.
Sony’s overall revenue, also helped by strong sales in music streaming, rose 2.8% over the period.
The Japanese group was nevertheless cautious for the future, only raising its sales forecast for its entire 2024/25 financial year, and in modest proportions (it now expects a decline of 2.4% over one year compared to 3.2% until then).
The manufacturer of the PlayStation 5 console is still optimistic about sales of games produced by third-party publishers, which it believes should compensate for the decline in titles developed in its own studios, where it has made staff cuts amid a slowdown. growth for the entire industry.
Sony announced at the end of October the closure of two studios, including Firewalk, behind the shooting game “Concord” which was withdrawn barely two weeks after its launch due to low sales.
And the American developer and publisher Bungie (creator of “Halo” and “Destiny”), bought by the group in 2022 for $3.6 billion, announced this summer the elimination of 220 positions, or 17% of its workforce.
The group also expects falling revenues in cinema, in particular because of unfavorable exchange rates, and a decline in its sales of image sensors.
It still forecasts an annual net profit of 980 billion yen (5.9 billion euros, +1% year-on-year) and an operating profit up 8.4%.
afp/cw
