NCsoft Titles On Track For 2007 News

NCsoft has today released its financial results for the first quarter of the 2007 fiscal, and has also reassured gamers that two titles Guild Wars: Eye of the North and Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa remain on course for release by the end of the year.

Net sales for the company as a whole in the last quarter, which ended on March 31st, increased by 9% to $91.2 million (£45.8 million). European sales increased by 102% on the year, with sales in North America up by 14%. Operating income for the publisher increased on the year dramatically by 96% to $18.4 million (£9.2 million), with net income up 107% to $15.2 million (£7.6 million).

NCsoft's CFO Lee Jae-ho said, "Our first quarter sales and operating income rose 9% and 96% respectively. Furthermore, we expect to attain sustainable growth in the second half after releasing a string of new game titles starting with the much anticipated closed beta testing of Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa on May 2. The game's first primary markets are North America and Europe."

Despite reassurances for both titles, there has to be concerns over when western gamers will be seeing NCsoft's jewel, Aion. The game, which is being put on a high pedestal by the publisher, has recently completed a closed Beta session in Korea though the closest that NCsoft has come to giving a release date (even for Korea) is 'within the next 12 months'.