Bandai Namco has released its financial results for Q1 2026, revealing it achieved “record high first quarter results,” with overall net sales up 7.1% and operating profit up 17.9% year-on-year.
This increase is largely driven by a massive sales boost to its Mobile Suit Gundam IP.
The numbers
For the first three months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026:
- Net sales: ¥300 billion ($2 billion), up 7.1% YoY
- Operating profit: ¥51.9 billion ($399 million), up 17.9% YoY
- Ordinary profit: ¥54.6 billion ($369 million), up 11.4% YoY
The highlights
According to the financial results, Bandai Namco’s Digital division (which covers video games) saw an increase in sales of 1.3% YoY, from ¥106 billion ($716 million) to ¥108 billion ($730 million), in Q1 2026, while the segment’s profit grew by 47.7%, from ¥14.7 billion ($99.3 million) to ¥21.7 billion ($147 million).
Bandai Namco’s “record high” Q1 is partly due to the success of the Mobile Suit Gundam IP, which saw a huge 81.2% sales boost YoY, “thanks to cross-group initiatives” ahead of the IP’s 50th anniversary in 2029, making it the company’s best-selling IP in Q1 2026, followed by One Piece (which saw a small 1.5% drop YoY).
In its report, Bandai Namco also notes that mobile game SD Gundam G Generation Eternal, released on April 16, is off to “a solid launch.”
Elden Ring Nightreign, released on May 30, also “performed well” this quarter. While Bandai Namco didn’t confirm exactly how many units its Nightreign sold in its first quarter, it did confirm that over five million units have shipped so far.
Overall, the company’s Home Console Game segment sold 10.8 million units, with 15 new titles (33 if you include localised versions) released this quarter.
According to Bandai Namco, new game sales make up 4.62 million of these units, while repeat title sales make up the remaining 6.13 million units.
In Q2 2026, the company plans to grow its network content by strengthening its earnings base through core titles. It does, however, expect higher upfront costs for home console games and network content due to the increase in new releases.
