It goes without saying, but this year has been a very difficult one for just about every industry given the pandemic. Every sector from travel to eating and beyond has been impacted by COVID-19 and its trailing recession. However, there are some companies who are weathering the year better than expected, and Sony is one of them. After all, the company expects to bolster its profit forecast this year thanks to Demon Slayer and the PlayStation 5.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The information comes straight from Sony itself as the company recently held a presentation on its Q2 2020 finances. It was there the Japanese company admitted its theatrical division has suffered due to the pandemic, but other markets like gaming, music, and anime have been thriving.
According to the report, Sony’s subsidiary Aniplex is living large thanks to its oversight of Demon Slayer. The series is one of the biggest in Japan whether you’re talking anime or manga. Its first-ever movie debuted in theaters nearly two weeks ago, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Mugen Train has shattered box office records. The movie has already grossed more than $100 million USD in record time, and it has earned the highest-grossing opening of any film in Japan.
With Demon Slayer bringing in serious cash this quarter, Sony is looking to the PlayStation 5 to further bolster its gains. The company’s limited pre-sale of its next gen console sold out nearly immediately upon launch. As its November release looms, PlayStation Plus subscribers have shot up by nearly a million users, and there are still countless fans waiting to get their hands on a PlayStation 5 pre-order ASAP.
With its music sales up 5% years over year, Sony is doing surprisingly well despite the ongoing pandemic. As the company continues to thrive one win at a time, it has upped its year-end forecast from 620 billion yen to 700 billion yen. This means Sony is confident it will rake in nearly $7 billion USD before the fiscal year closes, and if it really wants to impress fans, it will find a way to adapt Demon Slayer into a next gen title before long.
What do you think of this new report? Are you surprised by Sony’s success in 2020? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
