Sleeping Dogs ships 1.5m units as Square reports income drop

Square Enix has reported a moderate rise in net sales for the six months ending September, climbing 6.2 per cent to 61,055m.

Other numbers were less positive, however. Operating income fell from 7,391m last year to an operating loss of 6,266m. Last year’s net income for the period of 3,704m swung to a loss of 5,480m.

It now forecasts a 17.3 per cent increase in net sales to 150,000m for the full year ending March 2013. However, it also expects a 30 per cent decrease in operating income to 7,500m and a 42.2 per cent drop in net income to 3,500m.

The publisher also confirmed that action outing Sleeping Dogs has shipped 1.5m units – and while that makes it Square Enix’s strongest performer it also means it has to date failed to meet expectations.

900,000 copies of 3DS RPG Dragon Quest Monsters were also shipped while 650,000 copies of Kingdom hearts 3D were sent to European and North American retailers.

Square Enix will undoubtedly be doing all it can to ensure that this month’s release of Hitman: Absolution meets expectations.