A record month for DeNA as virtual currency sales explode

Strong virtual currency sales continued to do wonders for Japanese social gaming giant DeNA last quarter, as the company reported record revenues and improved profits year-over-year. The company said that consumption of its Moba-coin virtual currency, available for players to purchase through the Mobage digital gaming platform, was at a record-high during the second fiscal quarter, bringing in $700 million in Japan alone. DeNA puts this success down to strong marketing tactics, as it has focused heavily on attracting new players to Mobage and constantly adding new content to keep these people engaged and loyal. It's also notable that September marks the first time consumption of Moba-coins on smartphones exceeded the number sold on feature phones -- proof, says the company, that its transition to smartphones has been a success. Moba-coin consumption also rose outside of Japan, although at a slower rate, totalling $30 million for the three month period. DeNA expects this uprising to steadily pick up the pace in the months to come, thanks to the launch of popular titles like Rage of Bahamut and Fantasica in South Korea and Mainland China in recent months. For the quarter ended September 30, 2012, DeNA reported record-high revenue of $627 million, up 45 percent year-over-year, and operating profits of $254 million, up 38 percent year-over-year. Looking to the next quarter, DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu noted that the company is aiming to continue the steady growth through new titles like Transformers: Legends, while also keeping its current players engaged.