Financial difficulties forced GREE to stop developing 27 games, most of which were conducted by Japanese studios. Thus, the company lost $53 million.
These measures were taken in connection with GREE’s desire to balance its portfolio, in particular, with respect to browser and native games. According to the company’s representatives, the Japanese giant is too dependent on browser-based card battlers produced in the domestic market, it’s time to focus on other genres.
GREE has launched a new production program aimed at achieving this goal. Now the company will have teams of two people who will develop prototypes of new game concepts in a very short time – within two weeks.
Most of GREE’s revenue is still generated by browser games in Japan. About 65% of the profit comes from iOS and Android, but native games earn only a third of this amount.
Nevertheless, GREE employees have a reason to be happy. Sales outside Japan are growing, and now amount to more than $70 million per quarter. And titles like Knights & Dragons bring in several million dollars a month.
According to GREE’s forecasts, its international activities will begin to pay off by the end of 2013.
Source: www.pocketgamer.biz