Koei Tecmo Revises FY2026 Earnings Forecast Upward, After Success of Nioh 3 and Pokémon Pokopia

Koei Tecmo has revised its consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ended March 2026, and the numbers are looking remarkably strong. 

The Japanese publisher and developer originally anticipated increased revenue paired with decreased profit year-on-year. The revised forecast tells a very different story, one where net sales, ordinary profit, and net profit margins are all expected to hit record highs.

According to GameBiz (translated via Automaton), the company attributes the upward revision to two main factors. 

• The first is the stronger-than-expected performance of games released during the fourth quarter. 

• The second is "non-operating income significantly exceeding projections," which refers to earnings from investment activities outside of Koei Tecmo's core game business.

Strong Q4 Titles Drove the Results

Several notable titles launched during this period, including:

• Pokémon Pokopia (a social simulation game co-developed by Game Freak and Koei Tecmo's Omega Force for The Pokémon Company)

• Nioh 3 (an action RPG developed by Team Ninja)

• Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake (a survival horror game developed by Team Ninja)

• Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 REMAKE with Power-Up Kit (a strategy game developed by Kou Shibusawa)

• Winning Post 10 2026 (a horse racing simulation game)

Both Nioh 3 and Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake launched to "Very Positive" ratings on Steam. Nioh 3 crossed the 1 million unit mark in sales across all platforms. Pokémon Pokopia, a life simulator that was released on March 5, was arguably the biggest highlight, selling over 2.2 million units within its first four days.

The Numbers Behind the Revision

Here is a breakdown of the revised forecast compared to the previous projections:

• Net Sales: 92.0 billion yen to 87.5 billion yen (down 4.8%)

• Operating Income: 31.0 billion yen to 36.0 billion yen (up 16.1%)

• Ordinary Income: 37.0 billion yen to 55.5 billion yen (up 50.0%)

• Final Profit: 27.0 billion yen to 41.5 billion yen (up 53.7%)

• EPS: 85.49 yen to 127.68 yen (up 49.3%)

Compared to the previous fiscal year, the results also show healthy growth across the board:

• Sales: up 5.2%

• Operating Income: up 12.0%

• Ordinary Income: up 11.0%

• Final Profit: up 10.2%

With record highs projected across sales, ordinary income, and final profit, fiscal year 2026 is shaping up to be the company's most financially successful year to date.