Making Tech Headlines · Page 2
Spider-Man and PlayStation Rescue Sony's Quarter From Ordinary Numbers
· New York time
Sony reported net profit of 449.60 billion yen, about $2.84 billion, for the three months ended September, up 44 percent. Its PlayStation business and the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day were major drivers of the increase. The result puts a console business and a blockbuster film in the same earnings story. Both sell entertainment, but they arrive on different schedules: games and network services can keep an audience engaged over time, while a major movie can give a particular quarter a dramatic lift. Sony gets to combine the performances on one balance sheet. That makes diversification look especially glamorous. One division sells a chance to become the hero; another sells tickets to watch the hero. The earnings report then turns both experiences into a number large enough to make the corporate presentation feel like a premiere. A strong quarter does not guarantee that every film or game will have the same reception. It does show why Sony values a collection of businesses that can contribute in different ways. Fans may see a familiar character and a favorite console. Investors see a studio and a platform sharing the work of making the profit chart more exciting than most spreadsheets have any right to be.
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