Korea-based game developer SHIFT UP posted strong results in the third quarter this year on the back of the performance of "Goddess of Victory: Nikke."
SHIFT UP said on the 11th that operating profit in the third quarter rose 39.3% from a year earlier to 49.6 billion won. Revenue increased 30.1% in the same period to 75.5 billion won. Net profit came to 54.6 billion won, up 133%.
SHIFT UP said "Goddess of Victory: Nikke" is continuing a stable live service based on solid user metrics, and "Stellar Blade" has also settled in as a steady seller, with both the PC and PlayStation 5 versions selling steadily. In fact, "Goddess of Victory: Nikke" accounted for 58.9% (44.5 billion won) of third-quarter revenue, and "Stellar Blade" accounted for 36.7% (27.7 billion won).
Operating expenses were 26 billion won, up 15.6% from a year earlier, but down 41.2% from the previous quarter as the effect of incentive payments was removed and payment fees decreased, the company said.
SHIFT UP projected that "Goddess of Victory: Nikke" will grow further in the fourth quarter and next year. It expected performance to improve in the fourth quarter, with a third-anniversary event planned.
SHIFT UP said, "As we enter the third to fourth year since launch, our relationship with 'Goddess of Victory: Nikke' users is gradually solidifying," adding, "In addition to stable service, we will continue to provide quality content by expanding the intellectual property (IP) universe, increasing sales of related merchandise, and hosting offline performances."
Regarding "Stellar Blade," it also mentioned the possibility of expanding to other platforms, such as Nintendo Switch 2, in the future. SHIFT UP said, "We are considering additional platform expansion so that more users can enjoy 'Stellar Blade,' and we are also preparing various seasonal and holiday promotion events."
On the next title, "Project Spirit," it said, "Development is proceeding smoothly through an efficient expense structure and development process," adding, "We are targeting a release after 2027 and will sequentially disclose various information going forward."