Focus Home Interactive posts H1 growth, appoints new COO
Former business director John Bert will take on new executive role as publisher enters busy H2
French publisher Focus Home Interactive has posted a 33% year-over-year increase to its H1 revenue for the period of April through September 2018, and has promoted a new COO to help manage a busy upcoming H2 2018/19.
With Vampyr's release in June and strong back catalog sales, the publisher saw a 33% year-over-year revenue increase to €44.3 million ($50.4 million). Back catalog sales were up €11.1 million ($12.6 million) compared to H1 2017/18, and the back catalog made up 45% of the publisher's total sales - a steady percentage compared to the same period last year.
Focus Home's digital sales accounted for 65% of its revenue, and 90% of its sales were international.
After seeing solid first half growth with only one major new release, Focus Home has a hefty H2 ahead of it. The publisher announced a Nintendo Switch release of Vampyr coming in Q3, which it expects to boost sales along with the just-released expansion to MudRunner and upcoming releases of Call of Cthulu and Farming Simulator 19. Focus Home also is looking to the December release of Insurgency: Sandstorm, which the company says has the highest historical number of PC pre-orders for any Focus Home game.
To lead the company in its busy H2, Focus Home has announced a number of changes to its executive and management-level positions, beginning with former business director John Bert's promotion to COO. Bert has been with Focus Home for 17 years, and has been instrumental in the company's growing international presence and focus on digital media.
Vincent Chataignier will take over Bert's former role as business director, Aurélie Rodrigues will become sales director, and former video division lead Dessil Basmadjian will assume the role of creative director.
"The appointment of John Bert as the Group's chief operating officer is an excellent signal to our business partners, the Focus teams and the Group's shareholders," said board chariman Jürgen Goeldner. "His special relations with the studios, his commercial skills and his ability to identify the sector's fundamental trends make him a key element in assisting the Group with regards to new strategic areas and its future operational priorities. FOCUS is a Group that has always been able to work with the best talents to achieve its high objectives."