New subscribers will counter profit fall, says NCsoft boss
Geoff Heath insists the company doesn't need any new titles this year and its existing portfolio will improve on Q1 43 per cent fall in profit
NCsoft CEO Geoff Heath has argued that MMO developers don't need regular new titles to compete, and should improve on existing services to expand their customer base.
Heath told GamesIndustry.biz that Ncsoft's "robust portfolio" would enable it to recover from a 43 per cent fall in profit, reported in its first quarter financial results, despite having no new titles out this year.
"This is a pretty robust business - if you get it right - you've only got to look at World of Warcraft," Heath explained.
"With the online games business, it's all about growing your subscriber base. If you can do that by improving on your existing products you don't necessarily have the pressure of getting a product out to market to make your revenue for the year," he added.
NCsoft has recently released City of Heroes' Issue 12: Midnight Hour update, adding new content to its superhero and super villain MMOs, and plans similar updates across its range of titles.