Despite a decline in turnover to 7 million euros, which can easily be explained by another almost blank year in terms of releases (Don’t Nod only published the modest Gerda: A Flame In Winter from the studio Danish PortaPlay), the accounts are back in the green with a net profit of 2.5 million euros against a loss of 3.2 million euros a year earlier.
But it’s also time to take stock
For two years, Don’t Nod has been working on its many internal projects (6 in number) while offering its publishing services to independent studios (currently Studio Tolima and Tiny Bull Studios). On paper, these 8 games will normally all be released by the end of 2025. Reinforced to meet these needs, the team’s workforce now numbers more than 360 people in France and Canada. Unless postponed, 2023 will mark the big return to business with the releases of the narrative game Harmony: The Fall of Reverie in June and the action-RPG, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, “the studio’s most ambitious game” which is expected to be released at the end of the year in co-production with Focus Entertainment.
” Personnel costs, up by +29.5%, amounted to €24.2 million in 2022, compared to €18.7 million a year earlier, under the effect of the recruitment of the talents necessary for the ramp-up of the 6 internal production lines. In addition, other expenses, up +41.5% to €8.9 million in 2022, include subcontracting commitments associated with the progress of development cycles, as well as marketing and publishing costs incurred “, can we read.
To its cash of 34.9 million euros at the end of 2022 was added a new financing of 45.9 million euros in February 2023 with Tencent as the main shareholder. Known for its narrative games (Life is Strange, Tell Me Why, Twin Mirror), the studio is now focusing on the segment it considers the most promising, action-RPGs, and in which it has already had some success. with Vampyr (over 2 million sales).