If you ever take a moment to look at the back of the box on your games, you’ll often be surprised to find out that the publisher tends to come from a small list of major gaming publishing houses.
These are the companies that tend to front the money for game development and, in many cases, might be the parent companies of the studios who develop the games themselves.
Have you ever wondered how much money these companies make? Well, in this article we are presenting the official revenues and profits of 11 of the top video game publishers/vendors together with some interesting statistics and facts about each one.
We have read the latest Annual Corporate Reports of each company (covering financial year 2021) so the figures shown below are the official numbers published in the financial statements of each publisher.
You will see the term “Operating Income” appearing often in the revenue numbers below. This accounting term shows the amount of profit made by the company after deducting operating expenses such as salaries and COGS.
1) SONY (PLAYSTATION)
Sony is one of the most successful game publishers in recent years, thanks to the stable of games that it has published for its various Playstation consoles.
A major player based out of Japan and the United States, Sony’s one of the three publishers that really only focuses on publishing titles for its own hardware.
With that said, Sony has been going out of its way to bring some of its bigger titles to PC and has actually released a title that’s available on Xbox this year.
Sony’s biggest hits are probably well known to Playstation fans. The company published hit franchises like God of War and Uncharted, with newer IP like Ghost of Tsushima and Returnal also being published by the company.
Virtually any title that is a Playstation exclusive, including licensed titles like Spider-man, is likely to be published by SONY Interactive Entertainment (SIE).
Key Financial Figures
In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021: Game & Network Services Operating Income: 342.2 billion Yen (= around 2.8 billion USD)
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
According to SONY’s Corporate Report, Operating income grew significantly in the Game and Network Services segment.
“Our network sales in FY2020, during which we introduced the PlayStation(R)5 (PS5™), increased almost tenfold compared with FY2013, when the PlayStation(R)4 (PS4™) was launched. The number of PlayStation(R)Plus (PS Plus) subscribers has also steadily increased to reach approximately 46.3 million.”
Some other interesting statistics published in SONY’s 2021 Corporate Report about unit sales of Playstation 5 (PS5) and the older Playstation 4 (PS4) are shown below:
“PS5 unit sales in the fiscal year of launch exceeded those of PS4 in the fiscal year of launch and PS5 has surpassed 10 million cumulative units sold, making PS5 the fastest selling console in SIE history”
Moreover, the established PS4 console and PSN have managed to reach the following impressive numbers:
o “PS4 hardware cumulative units sold globally: more than 116.4 million
o PSN monthly active users:104 million
o PS Plus paid subscribers: 46.3 million
o PS Now subscribers: 3.2 million”
Source: SONY Corporate Report 2021
2) MICROSOFT (XBOX)
Microsoft has quickly become one of the bigger publishers in the gaming space, largely helped out by a spate of acquisitions over the last few years.
Microsoft has always had a few internal studios that have done work for the console, but it has only been in recent years that the company has really made a push to get major exclusives done by some of their own studios.
Microsoft almost exclusively publishes games for its own consoles, but many of those games are also available on PC.
Most of the major Xbox hits are published by Microsoft or by their in-house development team.
This includes Halo: Infinite (343 Industries), The Outer Worlds (Obsidian), and the Forza series (Playground games).
Microsoft Flight Simulator and Age of Empires are other great examples of Microsoft games.
Key Financial Figures
Although the official annual report of Microsoft for 2021 does not show explicitly the revenue amount from Gaming income, we have extracted some numbers as calculated below: “Gaming revenue increased $3.8 billion or 33% driven by growth in Xbox content and services and Xbox hardware.”
The above statement shows that previous year’s revenue was $11.51 billion (3.8/0.33).
Therefore, Gaming Revenue for 2021 was $15.31 billion USD (11.51+3.8)
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
According to Microsoft’s Annual Report 2021, here are some other interesting facts and statistics about the gaming industry:
“Three billion people around the world play games, which makes gaming the largest category in the entertainment industry.”
“Introduced in November 2020, the new Xbox Series S and X are our fastest-selling consoles ever.”
“Gaming revenue increased $3.8 billion or 33% driven by growth in Xbox content and services and Xbox hardware. Xbox content and services revenue increased $2.3 billion or 23% driven by growth in third-party titles, Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, and first-party titles. Xbox hardware revenue increased 92% driven by higher price of consoles sold due to the Xbox Series X|S”
Source: Microsoft Annual Report 2021
3) NINTENDO
If there is one publisher that has managed to be exclusive with their games, it’s definitely Nintendo.
Nintendo has been publishing games since the 80s and they are all exclusive to the various Nintendo consoles.
Though a few of Nintendo’s hits are made with partners (the Pokemon franchise is the most notable), almost everything that players have grown to love was made by an internal team.
Franchises made by Nintendo include anything in the Mario series, the Legend of Zelda series, or even the Metroid series.
Other big franchise titles include Star Fox, Pikmin, F-Zero, and anything that had the ‘Wii’ title.
Nintendo, as you can imagine, doesn’t release quite as many games as the competition but most of its games do tend to stand the test of time.
Key Financial Figures
According to Nintendo’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, here are the interesting sales and profit numbers:
- Net Sales: $15.99 billion USD (an increase of 34.4% on a year-on-year basis)
- Operating Profit: $5.82 billion USD (an increase of 81.8% on a year-on-year basis)
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
The Annual Report of Nintendo also presents some interesting facts and statistics about the company as summarized below:
- The company was first established in November 1947 as “Marufuku Co” as a manufacturer/distributor of Japanese playing cards (karuta) and western playing cards.
- Number of employees: 2,498
- Average annual salary: USD 88,276
- Game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” has reached cumulative sales of 32.63 million units.
- Game “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” has reached cumulative sales of 35.39 million units.
- Hardware sales reached 28.83 million units (an increase of 37.1% year-on-year).
- Software sales reached 230.88 million units (an increase of 36.8% year-on-year).
Source: Nintendo Annual Report 2021
4) Electronic Arts (EA)
Electronic Arts is one of the biggest multi-platform publishers in the United States and seems to be one of the gaming publishers that aren’t in danger of being swallowed up by a larger company.
By King of Hearts – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Often considered to be something of an evil empire by the gaming press, Electronic Arts is notable for acquiring a number of studios in order to get access to successful IP and then iterating on those games as time goes by.
Electronic Arts games are available on virtually any gaming platform, with the company often creating multiple versions of the same games in order to get their games in the hands of more fans.
EA’s most famous games are probably in the EA Sports line, including games like those in the Madden Franchise and in the FIFA franchise.
EA also publishes the very successful Battlefield franchise, as well as BioWare’s Mass Effect and Dragon Age games.
EA’s biggest hit is probably The Sims, which once held the title of being the most popular game on the planet.
Key Financial Figures
- $5.629 billion USD (Net Revenue)
- $6.190 billion USD (Net Bookings)
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
Here are some facts and statistics from EA’s annual report:
- 13 major games launched in fiscal year 2021 (includes FIFA 21, Madden NFL 21, NHL 21, Star Wars™, Squadrons, Medal of Honor™: Above and Beyond, and Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit Remastered)
- Over 100 million players of Apex Legends life to date on console/PC
- FIFA Ultimate Team players grew 16% year-over-year
- Over 500 million players across our player network within mobile, console and PC
Source: 2021 Annual Report
5) CAPCOM
CAPCOM is absolutely a legend in the gaming world, though it’s also a company that’s probably not quite as popular among American gamers as it was a few decades ago.
Known for both its platformers and for its fighting games, CAPCOM is a bigger player in Japan than it is in the US.
With that said, the company has still been behind some of the biggest hits of all time.
Some of the bigger games that CAPCOM has released are in the Mega Man and Street Fighter franchises.
CAPCOM is also the force behind the Resident Evil franchise and the Devil May Cry franchise, both of which still have a lot of cache among dedicated fans.
CAPCOM has also had recent hits with the Monster Hunter and Dead Rising franchises.
Key Financial Figures
Let’s see some revenue figures from the 2021 Integrated Annual Report of CAPCOM:
- Operating Income: 34,596 million yen = around 278 million USD (51.6 % increase from previous year)
- Net Sales: 95,308 million yen = around 767 million USD (16.8 % increase from previous year)
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
Here are some facts and statistics from CAPCOM’s annual report:
- 8 consecutive years of increased operating income
- 30.1 total million game units sold in 2021
- Capcom was established in Osaka Japan in 1983
- In 1985 they released their first home video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- In 2021, Monster Hunter Rise and Resident Evil Village were released.
- Resident Evil series sold 110 million total units as of March 2021
- Monster Hunter series sold 72 million total units as of March 2021
- CAPCOM employees more than 2,400 game developers.
Source: Annual Report 2021
6) T2 Interactive (Take-Two Interactive)
Take Two Interactive is one of the biggest publishers in gaming, though you wouldn’t necessarily know it from their output.
Instead of casting a wide net like Electronic Arts, Take Two has managed to find most of its success with a limited number of game franchises.
That’s not to say that the company hasn’t had a few one and done games, but rather that it tends to follow the money when it comes to success.
The biggest success for Take Two has undoubtedly been the Grand Theft Auto series.
The company also publishes the Red Dead Redemption games, as well as managing the online modes for both games.
Take Two also notably published the games in the BioShock and Borderlands series, along with managing all of the various 2K Sports brands.
T2 Interactive is also the owner of Rockstar Games and 2K studios.
Key Financial Figures
Here are some notable financial figures from 2021 Annual Report:
- Net Revenue grew 9% to $3.4 billion USD
- Net Bookings of $3.6 Billion USD
- $2.7 Billion USD in generated cash and short-term investments.
- Net Cash from Operating Activities: $912 Million USD
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
Here are some facts and statistics from T2 Interactive annual report:
- NBA 2K21 exceeded our expectations, with strong unit sales and RCS (recurrent consumer spending) growing 73%
- 2.1 million users playing NBA 2K daily.
- In calendar 2020, more copies of Grand Theft Auto V were sold than in any other year except for when it first launched in 2013.
- Red Dead Online grew its audience in 2021, with active players increasing significantly.
- PGA TOUR 2K21 surpassed our expectations. To drive momentum in the series further, 2K entered into an exclusive, long-term agreement with golf legend and icon, Tiger Woods.
Source: T2 Annual Report 2021
7) Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard is a huge publisher that might not be independent for too much longer.
The company has agreed to a buy-out from Microsoft, which might soon bring this storied company under the larger corporate banner.
For the moment, though, it is still the home of some of the biggest gaming franchises on the planet.
The biggest games from the Activision side of the company are in the Call of Duty series.
On the Blizzard side, though, it’s impossible not to look at games like World of Warcraft, Starcraft, or Hearthstone as the major hits.
In addition to all of these various gaming juggernauts, Acitvision Blizzard is also home to family-friendly series like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, as well as nostalgic favorites like Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.
Key Financial Figures
From the company’s 2021 Financial Statement, here are the most important numbers:
- GAAP Net Revenues: $8.8 billion USD
- Net bookings: $8.35 billion USD
- Activision Blizzard generated $2.41 billion in operating cash flow in 2021
“As announced on January 18, 2022, Microsoft plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $95.00 per share, in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion, inclusive of Activision Blizzard’s net cash.”
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
- Around 400 million total active players per month
- Growing GAAP revenue 9% year-over-year
- GAAP operating profit 19% year-over-year
- Call of Duty net bookings on console and PC declined year-over-year in the fourth quarter.
- Call of Duty Mobile net bookings grew year-over-year in the fourth quarter.
- Blizzard is planning substantial new content for the Warcraft franchise in 2022, including new experiences in World of Warcraft and Hearthstone.
Source: 2021 Financial Results , Annual Report
8) UBISOFT
Ubisoft is another one of those game publishers that has managed to stay independent in an age of increasing consolidation of studios.
The French publisher has managed to get a lot of mileage out of iteration of just a few franchises, but there are always a surprising handful of other titles that are published by the company that are released on the PC and various consoles every year.
Big fans of Ubisoft probably know the company best for the FarCry and Assassin’s Creed series, but the company is also behind titles like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon.
Other big titles from Ubisoft include the Watch Dogs franchise, the Prince of Persia games, and the popular Just Dance series.
Key Financial Figures
Here are some key financial figures from UBISOFT’s report:
- Net bookings (sales): 2.24 billion Euros
- IFRS Consolidated Net income: 105.2 million Euros
- non-IFRS Consolidated Net income: 315.6 million Euros
Source: Annual Financial Report
9) EPIC GAMES
Epic Games has made a name for itself not just for being a fairly prolific publisher, but also for taking the fight to entrenched companies like Apple and Valve by creating its own storefront.
In fact, these days Epic might actually be better known for its Epic Games Store and its monthly free PC games than anything else – or at least, anything but one of the biggest titles in gaming.
That’s right, Epic Games is the company behind Fortnite, the absolute juggernaut of online gaming.
That’s not all, though – Epic is also behind Gears of War and Unreal. In fact, it’s probably the latter title and its Unreal Engine that has kept Epic on top of the charts for years.
Key Financial Figures
You should note that Epic Games is not a publicly traded company, thus it is not required to disclose detailed financial results.
The company is privately owned by the Founder and CEO, Tim Sweeney, who owns more than 50% of shares. The rest is owned by Tencent Holdings.
However, we managed to retrieve some financial numbers from the company’s “2021 Year in Review” news article as shown below:
- 840 million USD spent by PC players on the Epic store
- 194+ million total PC customers
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
- There are now over 194 million Epic Games Store PC users, an increase of 34M from 2020
- Daily active users peaked at 31.1M, and peak concurrent users reached 13.2M
- December’s 2021monthly active users peak reached 62M users.
- There are 917 titles for sale on the Epic Games Store.
- Over 765 million free games were claimed by players.
- In 2021, the whole community of players on the Epic Game store spent 6.2 billion hours in-game.
Source: Year in Review
10) SQUARE ENIX
Square Enix is a Japanese publisher that’s most famous for its role-playing games.
Formed after SquareSoft acquired Enix, the company has become a premiere destination for JRPGs of all sorts, though it is also the publisher behind a number of Western action games.
In fact, Square Enix’s name seems to pop up a lot more often than most fans would expect.
The biggest name in Square Enix’s library is definitely Final Fantasy, up to and including the hit Final Fantasy XIV MMO.
Square Enix is also the publisher of games like Dragon Quest series, Guardians of the Galaxy and Tomb Raider, among others, with titles like Just Cause and Deus Ex also making up a fair bit of the company’s publishing portfolio.
Key Financial Figures
- Net Sales: around 3 billion USD
- Operating Income: 426.57 million USD
The above numbers were converted from Yen to USD at the time of writing this article.
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
- The Dragon Quest series sold a total of over 83 million units worldwide since its launch.
- The Final Fantasy series sold a total of over 164 million units worldwide since its launch.
- The company started in 1980 as a real estate sales and brokerage company with name Kabushiki-Kaisha Eidansya Fudousan
Source: 2021 Annual Report
11) TENCENT
By Charlie fong – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tencent is one of those companies that you probably know mostly as a publisher of mobile games. However, they are the world’s largest video game vendor.
The owners of the company have put in a lot of investment work, though, and it now stands as a stakeholder in some of the biggest gaming franchises ever made.
So, what does Tencent own? Internally, it created Call of Duty: Mobile, Honor of Kings, and PUB Mobile.
The company also owns Funcom (Secret Worlds, Conan: Exiles), Riot Games (League of Legends), Turtle Rock (Back 4 Blood) and major stakes in companies like Grinding Gears (Path of Exile) and Supercell (Clash of Clans, Clash Royale).
Beyond this, Tencent also owns stakes in another company on this list – Epic Games.
Tencent earnings are not only from gaming since this Chinese multinational conglomerate is active in various areas in technology and entertainment sectors.
Key Financial Figures
Let’s see the major financial figures of Tencent for 2021:
- Revenue: $86.8 billion USD
- Operating Income: $42.11 billion USD
- Net Income: $35.32 billion USD
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics
- Considered the biggest video gaming vendor in the world.
- Owns or has shares in several other gaming vendors such as Epic Games, Funcom, Riot Games, Supercell etc.
- It is included in the top 10 list of “world’s most valuable companies”.
Source: 2021 Annual Report , Wikipedia
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