Pixel P&L: Street Fighter 6 Meets The Great Gatsby in Paris this April

Thank you for opening today’s edition of Pixel P&L! Today we’re taking a look at a Street Fighter 6 tournament on a Great Gatsby-themed stage, Konami’s upward revision for its financial forecasts, TALON’s new partner for VCT Pacific 2025 along with Riot’s latest attempt to support Valorant esports teams, and a glimpse at the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on the video game industry.

Konami Reports 38% Profit Increase, Revises Financial Forecasts Upward

Konami Digital Entertainment has announced its financial results for the nine months ending December 31, 2024, reporting a 22.8% increase in revenue to ￥310.8 billion ($2 billion) and a 38.7% rise in business profit to ￥87.1 billion ($560 million). The company's Digital Entertainment segment, which includes its video game operations, saw a 32% revenue growth to ￥228.8 billion ($1.4 billion), driven by successful launches such as the Silent Hill 2 remake, which has sold over two million copies since its October 2024 release. Other contributing titles include Professional Baseball Spirits 2024-2025, eBaseball MLB Pro Spirit, and the latest eFootball installment, which has been downloaded more than 800 million times across various platforms. In light of these strong results, Konami has revised its full-year forecasts, now expecting revenues of ￥412 billion ($2.6 billion), up from the previously anticipated ￥380 billion, and business profit of ￥108 billion ($694.6 million), an increase from the earlier forecast of ￥92.5 billion.

Riot Games Introduces VCT 2025 Season Capsule to Support Esports Ecosystem

Riot Games has announced the launch of the VCT 2025 Season Capsule, an in-game bundle designed to support the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) and its partner teams. Available from February 6th, 2025, at 10 PM GMT until the conclusion of VCT Masters Bangkok, the capsule includes a Karambit melee weapon skin featuring colors representing the four international VALORANT leagues—EMEA, Americas, Pacific, and China—along with player cards and gun buddies inspired by each region. Proceeds from the capsule sales will be distributed across the VCT leagues and partner teams, aiming to provide a more balanced revenue stream following disparities observed with previous Team Capsules. In 2024, the VCT generated approximately $44.3 million from digital goods sales, highlighting the significant impact of such initiatives on the esports ecosystem.

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?Quick Bytes

• Red Bull Kumite Celebrates 10th Anniversary in Paris with Street Fighter 6 and a Great Gatsby-Themed Stage: Red Bull Kumite is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in Paris, France, from April 5th to 6th, 2025. The event will feature 16 Street Fighter 6 players competing on a Great Gatsby-inspired stage at the Maison de la Mutualité. Fourteen players will receive direct invitations, while the remaining two slots will be determined through Last Chance Qualifier and Play-In stages on April 5th. The main event on April 6th will include a live drawing of the tournament bracket and best-of-five single-elimination matchups. Over the past decade, Red Bull Kumite has become a prominent competition in the fighting game community, with previous editions held in cities such as Tokyo, London, Las Vegas, and New York. For its 2025 edition, Red Bull has partnered with PlayStation , car manufacturer Opel , and gaming monitor brand AGON by AOC.

• TALON Partners with ZOWIE for VCT Pacific 2025: TALON , a prominent esports organization in the Asia-Pacific region, has partnered with ZOWIE, a gaming monitor brand by 明基 , for the upcoming VCT Pacific 2025 season. As part of the collaboration, ZOWIE will provide monitors for TALON’s Valorant team during both training and competition. The partnership aligns with TALON’s efforts to enhance its competitive setup, while ZOWIE continues its involvement in professional esports. Both organizations emphasize their commitment to optimizing player performance as the team prepares for one of the region’s most competitive tournaments.

• ESA Expresses Concern Over Potential Impact of Video Game Tariffs: The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has voiced apprehension regarding proposed tariffs on video game consoles and related products, cautioning that such measures could adversely affect millions of Americans and the rapidly growing gaming industry. The ESA emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector to maintain the sector's economic contributions. While digital game software may remain unaffected, physical products like game discs and consoles, predominantly manufactured overseas, are likely to be impacted by these tariffs. The ESA is advocating for discussions with the administration and Congress to explore alternatives that support the industry's continued growth.

?? Did You Know?

In 2015, the makers of Call of Duty sparked controversy by live-tweeting a fake terrorist attack in Singapore as part of a marketing stunt for Call of Duty: Black Ops III. The campaign, designed to introduce the game's storyline, falsely claimed an attack was unfolding in real-time. While Call of Duty was already a highly successful franchise, the stunt faced immediate backlash, with many criticizing it as insensitive and irresponsible, given real-world concerns about terrorism. The incident remains one of the most controversial video game marketing missteps in recent history.

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