On August 26th, Perfect Universe unveiled its half-yearly report for 2024, detailing a revenue of 2.76 billion yuan with a net loss attributable to shareholders of 177 million yuan, influenced by the performance of new and existing games as well as team restructuring.
Confronting these challenges, Perfect Universe has adopted a strategy focused on core strengths, optimizing product portfolios and resource allocation. This includes concentrating resources on projects that align with the company's strategic transformation and conducting personnel optimization. Management adjustments have also been made to maximize efficiency and steer the company towards a more prosperous future.
Efforts to reduce costs and increase efficiency include office consolidation and leveraging AI technologies, among other measures. These steps are part of a broader initiative to achieve breakthroughs through steady transformation. The effectiveness of these measures is evident in the narrowing of losses from Q1 to Q2, with a reduction of 51.39% in non-recurring loss after adjustments.
In the first half of the year, Perfect Universe's gaming division sustained innovation and focused on adjustments. Established titles like the PC game "Zhuxian" celebrated their 17th anniversary with significant updates, maintaining a robust operational model. Meanwhile, "One Punch Man: World" underwent cross-platform public testing in Southeast Asia and Europe.
The newly released "Persona: Phantom Shadows" was well received both domestically and internationally due to its unique audio-visual style and urban fantasy theme, as well as its deep engagement with the Persona 5 IP. It topped the free game charts on app stores in South Korea and Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan upon pre-release, with plans for further international launches.
The company's esports division successfully hosted the "Perfect Universe CS National League 2024 Spring Tournament," which attracted over 20,000 participants. Perfect Universe continues to drive the Chinese operations of global esports hits "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" and "DOTA 2," contributing consistently to stable earnings.
On the film and television front, Perfect Universe adheres to a strategy of high-quality content, focusing on quality over quantity. A variety of acclaimed TV series and short dramas were released this year, garnering both popularity and critical acclaim.
Looking ahead, Perfect Universe has an impressive lineup of products in development. The gaming division is advancing its "MMO+" and "Card+" strategies, integrating technological and product innovations. The highly anticipated "Anomaly" debuted with a viral trailer and gameplay footage, amassing over 8 million views on Bilibili and securing 2.8 million pre-registrations within a week.
"Zhuxian World" shared progress updates via videos featuring in-game footage and developer commentary, showcasing improvements in fashion, NPCs, combat mechanics, and economy systems, along with new content teasers.
Several new titles are undergoing domestic and international testing and release preparations, including "Zhuxian 2," "Gods and Demons Continent," and "Dissonant Million Arthur: Ring," with others such as "Code Barbarian" and "Code Z" in active development.
The company will host the 2024 Counter-Strike World Championship (Shanghai Major) in November, marking the first time the top-level official event is held in China. The open qualifiers saw 8,643 teams sign up, setting a record for the largest number of participants in a Major qualifier.
In the realm of film and television, Perfect Universe has a slate of productions in various stages of production, distribution, and scheduling for release, including "In Love with Navy Blue," "Only in This Martial Dream," "Good Luck Family," and others.
Technological advancement remains a cornerstone of Perfect Universe's growth. The company has accelerated the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, using AI to enhance the development pipeline and improve player experiences. Perfect Universe has developed tools like D+ (Dialogue+) and narrative generation, as well as a large-world creation tool, to support the integration of AI into the game development process.
Earlier this year, Perfect Universe's proprietary AI-driven dialogue algorithm was registered, enhancing productivity and user experience. Collaborations with leading technology firms such as NVIDIA and Huawei have continued, enabling the company to stay at the forefront of technological advancements.
Reflecting on the past six months, Perfect Universe commits to proactive change and continuous improvement. Internally, the focus will be on strengthening management capabilities and optimizing business processes to enhance operational efficiency. Externally, the company will concentrate on product excellence while exploring new avenues for future growth to ensure sustainable development.
