Gameloft is expecting to report fourth quarter sales of €47.0 million, or $61.9 million, up 18 percent from a year ago, thanks to strong growth of smartphone and tablet games.
While the video game console market was stagnant in 2011, Gameloft’s results show what kind of growth can happen with a pure play mobile game company.
The Paris-based maker of mobile games said that full year sales are expected to be €164.4 million ($216 million), up 17 percent from a year ago. As one of the biggest makers of mobile games, Gameloft is benefiting from a huge wave of interest in smartphones and tablets. Apple sold more than 37 million iPhones and 15 million iPads in the fourth quarter. Gameloft’s fourth-quarter sales on smartphones and tablets grew by more than 64 percent for 2011 and were 41 percent of total sales.
Gameloft said its quarterly results were boosted by games including Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation (pictured), Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, Six-Guns, and Dungeon Hunter 3. Europe represents about 30 percent of sales, North America 29 percent, and the rest of the world 41 percent. Gameloft expects to grow revenues in 2012 as it takes advantage of the growth of Apple iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) devices as well as Android phones.
Gameloft’s 2011 annual results will be published on March 21, 2012, after the market closes. Gameloft has more than 4,500 developers and was founded in 2000.