NCsoft reported a 43 percent year-over year drop in profits to $US 7.7 million, a decrease was due to a write-off expense for costs associated with The Blackstar Chronicles. The futuristic MMO, in development by Spacetime Studios, was ultimately dropped from NCsoft’s lineup, and Spacetime will be pursuing the project on its own.
If not for the write-off, NCsoft stood to gain in profit 48 percent on the quarter and 8 percent on the year. The publisher’s sales increased 4 percent to $US 84.3 million on the popularity of the Lineage series in Asia and strong performance for Guild Wars and City of Heroes in North America and Europe.
Lineage, City of Heroes and Guild Wars publisher is staying hush hush about its upcoming project. Rumors started circulating last week when it was noticed that NCsoft Europe was hiring and had put a buncha concept art on its website. As MMO site Massively points out, the concept art has a mystical-meet-militaristic vibe to it. NCsoft Europe is looking for a bunch of new recruits, so this could be part of the company’s Sony deal to bring online games to the PS3 and the PSP. When asked what it was up to, NCsoft Europe replied, “No comment.” Figures. NCsoft Europe’s New Project [Videogamer.com]
