Responding to new standards and launching diverse gaming machines

「In this environment, in its pachinko machine-related business, the Group sold more than 20,000 units of its flagship series title "e Fever Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Climax" and actively launched new collaboration titles. It also increased production of the 2-title "Tokyo Ghoul" series, which continues to enjoy strong utilization. In its pachislot machine-related business, the Group sold 3 new titles, including "L Pachislot Karakuri Circus 2," which recorded sales of more than 20,000 units.」

「パチンコファンの増加に寄与していきます。」

「In the pachinko machine business, we actively launched machines equipped with Lucky Trigger 3.0 Plus and new tie-up machines in addition to flagship titles, achieving our target sales volume share of at least 30% and securing the top share for the fourth consecutive period.」

「In our pachinko machine-related business, we actively launched new tie-in products based on popular anime titles such as “Tokyo Ghoul” and “Blue Lock.” Among these, “e Tokyo Ghoul,” launched in April, became a hit that drove utilization across the market, and we increased production several times. In addition, by launching “e Fever Fire Force 2” with “Lucky Trigger 3.0 Plus,” the industry's first such machine, and offering a strong lineup, we steadily increased unit sales.」

「Under these conditions, our Group simultaneously launched the conventional P-machine and smart pachinko versions of Fever Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Rebirth—The White Unicorn and the Black Lion. Sales were led by the conventional machine, but the smart pachinko version, with distinctive gameplay featuring the new Lucky Trigger and Super Deka START, received favorable reviews for its popularity and evaluation after installation, and we decided to increase production in the third quarter. In pachislot machines, several of our Group's products drove utilization in the pachislot market and increased our presence. In addition to selling 3 new titles, we increased production of several models with strong utilization results, enabling us to steadily increase sales volumes.」

「In the pachinko machine business, we launched 10 new titles, excluding reused machines and similar products. In the pachislot machine business, we launched 5 new titles.」

「Under these conditions, in pachinko machines, our Group sold 50,000 units of Fever Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, introduced in August 2023. The latest Evangelion title, Pachinko Shin Evangelion Type Rei, introduced in December 2023, and the first smart pachinko machine in the series, Smapachi Shin Evangelion Type Kaworu, recorded combined sales exceeding 60,000 units and are expected to drive utilization. In pachislot machines, we launched 3 new titles, centered on smart pachislot machines, in addition to increased production of Pachislot Kakkumeiki Valvrave, sold in the previous fiscal year, enabling us to increase sales volumes year on year.」

「Against this backdrop, in pachinko we sold 50,000 units of “Fever Mobile Suit Gundam SEED,” introduced in August, launched the new tie-in machine “Fever Fire Force,” and continued rereleasing “Neon Genesis Evangelion: Roar of the Future,” which has recorded long-running utilization since its launch in December 2021. In pachislot, both “Pachislot Fire Force” and the smart pachislot machine “Pachislot Karakuri Circus” sold more than 10,000 units, attracting fan support after installation and building a track record of strong utilization. In addition, sales of “L Evangelion: Creation for the Future,” introduced to the market in October, were recorded during the second quarter, helping us increase unit sales, mainly of smart pachislot machines.」

「During the cumulative period of the first quarter under review, our Group simultaneously launched pachinko and pachislot machines tied up with Fire Force, which enjoys tremendous support among younger audiences through its comics and anime. The pachinko machine became a hit with sales exceeding 30,000 units, and the pachislot machine exceeded 10,000 units. In addition, rereleases of Shinsekai Evangelion: Roar Toward the Future, which continued to maintain high utilization as a flagship machine at parlors even 18 months after its launch in December 2021, and increased production of the smart pachislot machine Pachislot Kakkumeiki Valvrave, launched in November 2022, contributed to a strong start for both the pachinko and pachislot businesses.」

「In the pachinko machine business, we launched 10 new titles, excluding reused machines and similar products. The main titles sold were Fever Karakuri Circus (August 2022) and Fever Senki Zessho Symphogear 3: Ougon Zessho (September 2022) under the SANKYO brand, Space Battleship Yamato 2202 -ONLY ONE- (July 2022) and Godzilla vs. Evangelion: G Cell Awakening (December 2022) under the Bisty brand, and Fever Queen RUSH (November 2022) under the JB brand.」

「The main titles sold were Fever Karakuri Circus (August 2022) and Fever Senki Zessho Symphogear 3: Ougon Zessho (September 2022) under the SANKYO brand, Space Battleship Yamato 2202 -ONLY ONE- (July 2022) and Godzilla vs. Evangelion: G Cell Awakening (December 2022) under the Bisty brand, and Fever Queen RUSH (November 2022) under the JB brand.」

「The main titles sold were Fever Karakuri Circus (August 2022) and Fever Senki Zessho Symphogear 3: Ougon Zessho (September 2022) under the SANKYO brand, and Space Battleship Yamato 2202 -ONLY ONE- (July 2022) under the Bisty brand.」

「During the cumulative first quarter of the fiscal year, despite difficulties in procuring components, our Group worked to keep operations on plan by taking every available measure, including advance ordering, expanding procurement channels, and strengthening the trade-in and component recycling of gaming machines. As a result, in the pachinko machine-related business we sold 5 titles in total, including 2 new titles, rereleases, reuse machines and other products, such as the new title “Fever Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?” and additional sales of “Fever Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn,” released in August 2021 and still well received.」

「Our Group has launched a diverse range of products to capture replacement demand for machines compliant with the new rules while minimizing the impact of the electronic component shortage.」

「During the cumulative period of the third quarter under review, our Group launched 7 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines and similar products, and 2 pachislot titles. Fever Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, released in August, showed strong utilization that drove the pachinko market and became a hit that generated additional orders. Despite difficulties in procuring components, we worked to secure components for increased production and were able to build sales volumes above plan. Shinsekai Evangelion: Roar Toward the Future, the 15th title in the series released in December, became a hit with sales exceeding 40,000 units, and utilization remained strong after installation, resulting in steady sales for our Group. In pachislot machines, we launched our Group's first 6.2 machine, Pachislot Senki Zessho Symphogear: Song of Courage, in December.」

「During the cumulative second quarter consolidated accounting period, our group launched 4 pachinko titles, excluding reused models and other products, and 1 pachislot title. The pachinko machine "Fever Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn," launched in August, has maintained high utilization since installation, aided by television advertising, and became a hit that generated additional orders. From the third quarter onward, we are focusing on capturing replacement demand, anticipating demand for new machines ahead of the January 2022 deadline for removing machines subject to the former regulations, including the planned launch of the 15th installment in our group's core pachinko title, the "Evangelion" series.」

「During the cumulative first quarter of the fiscal year, our Group launched only 2 pachinko titles, excluding reuse machines, and 1 pachislot title, in light of the impact of COVID-19 and replacement demand for new-regulation machines. Looking ahead to the full-scale replacement of new-regulation machines from the second quarter onward, however, we prepared to launch strong titles, including a television commercial for “Fever Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn,” scheduled for release in August.」

「At the same time, we are developing products to meet diverse user needs, including Fever Shin Kagetsu 2: Night Sakura Version, equipped ahead of other industry players with the new Yutai Time system, which triggers a time-shortening mode if the machine has not produced a jackpot by the prescribed number of plays; Super Combi α7500, a two-type machine that lets players enjoy the movement of the balls, a core feature of pachinko; and the long-loved drum machine Fever Queen II, among others.」

「During the cumulative period of the third quarter under review, our Group launched 5 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines, and 1 pachislot title.」

「During the cumulative period of the second quarter under review, our Group launched 2 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines, and 1 pachislot title. We reduced the number of titles compared with previous years after assessing parlors' appetite for new machines amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Fever Senki Zessho Symphogear 2, launched in April, became a hit that generated additional orders and drove performance. From the third quarter onward, we have announced 5 other new pachinko titles, beginning with Fever Queen II launched in October, to meet replacement demand as it gains momentum, and orders are progressing smoothly.」

「During the cumulative period of the first quarter under review, our Group launched 2 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines.」

「Our Group launched 9 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines, and 4 pachislot titles. Fever Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, launched in September, became a hit with sales exceeding 20,000 units, while Shinsekai Evangelion: Shito, Rebirth, the 14th title in the Evangelion series launched in December, became a hit with sales exceeding 30,000 units. We also launched a diverse range of products, including reused machines, to meet demand at parlors for a wide variety of products in small lots.」

「The Group sold 6 pachinko titles, excluding reuse machines, and 1 pachislot title. Although there were no launches of core pachinko machines during the first quarter, resulting in low sales, sales volumes of other titles also increased during the second quarter, led by the SANKYO-brand "Fever Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," resulting in growth in both sales and profit.」

「Following the amended amusement machine regulations and the easing of voluntary restrictions, amusement machine manufacturers are actively developing products that comply with the amended regulations, including products offering diverse gameplay while keeping spending requirements low, and are working to stimulate replacement demand for new-regulation machines.」

「The Group launched 2 pachinko machine titles, excluding reuse machines, and 1 pachislot machine title. However, sales remained at a low level during the cumulative first quarter because the launch of core pachinko titles was scheduled from the second quarter onward.」

「In August 2018, we launched Fever Kakkumeiki Valvrave W, the industry's first pachinko machine with setting functionality. We also demonstrated the strengths of our Group by being the first company to launch Evangelion: Super Rampage, a flagship title, among machines with a high probability of continued probability variation that became eligible for installation from February 2019 following revisions to the internal rules of the Japan Amusement Machine Industry Association, the association of pachinko manufacturers. We were therefore able to respond swiftly to changes in the environment, including revisions to the amusement machine regulations.」

「During the cumulative third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, our Group brought pachinko machines with adjustable settings, newly permitted under the new regulations, to market faster than any other company in the industry. We subsequently continued building a track record of machines passing type testing under the new regulations, sold machines under the old regulations that remained eligible for sale, and introduced 8 new pachinko titles and 2 new pachislot titles.」

「The main titles sold were Fever Aquarion W under the SANKYO brand (August 2018), Drum Evangelion PINK under the Bisty brand (August 2018), and J-RUSH 4 under the JB brand (September 2018). Sales were otherwise centered on reused machines, but we also launched Fever Kakkumeiki Valvrave W (August 2018), the first machine equipped with six-level settings compliant with the new rules.」

「Our Group had decided ahead of other companies to launch the first pachinko machine with setting functionality, Fever Kakkumeiki Valvrave W, under the SANKYO brand in August 2018. During the cumulative period of the first quarter under review, however, we had not yet begun selling machines compliant with the new rules, and launched only 1 new pachinko title, excluding reused machines, and 1 pachislot title using machines compliant with the former rules.」

「Against this backdrop, our Group sold 15 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines, and 6 pachislot titles.」

「Against this backdrop, the Group sold 9 pachinko titles and 3 pachislot titles. Sales recovered from the level through the cumulative second quarter as the Group targeted replacement demand ahead of the regulatory revisions by launching new titles in collaboration with well-known content and other products.」

「Against this backdrop, the Group sold 5 pachinko titles and 3 pachislot titles. Pachinko sales were centered on additional sales and other activities involving products launched in the previous fiscal year with new specifications, leaving sales at a low level in the cumulative second quarter.」

「Against this backdrop, our Group sold 3 pachinko titles and 1 pachislot title. Pachinko sales were centered on additional sales of products launched in the previous fiscal year with new specifications, while sales of major titles are scheduled from the second quarter of the fiscal year onward.」

「In the pachinko and pachislot industry, the industry as a whole worked from January 2016 to collect and remove by the end of December that year pachinko machines whose performance might differ from that of the machines that had passed type approval. From April onward, manufacturers stepped up sales of new-standard machines compliant with the industry's voluntary restrictions related to this matter and called on pachinko parlors to replace the applicable models with new-standard machines. Against this backdrop, our Group sold 8 pachinko titles, excluding reused machines, and 3 pachislot titles. Sales of the pachinko title Evangelion: The Time of Awakening under the Bisty brand, which became a long-running series, progressed smoothly, but most of the other titles struggled.」

「In the pachinko and pachislot industry, the urgent issues are collecting and removing by the end of December 2016 pachinko machines that may have performance characteristics different from those of the machines approved in type inspections, and developing and popularizing machines compliant with the new standards introduced in response to various voluntary regulations from spring onward. Pachinko manufacturers have focused on accelerating the collection and removal of the affected machines and supplying replacement models.」

「Against this backdrop, our group moved quickly to respond to the new standards, actively launching machines with a variety of specifications and forms of gameplay, including not only tie-in machines based on the worlds of well-known intellectual properties but also drum machines and pinball machines that do not depend on licensed properties. We also sold reused machines.」