Mad Catz Sees $4.5 Million Profit, Rock Band 3 Deal

Major publishers are still pushing for the revenues to be had in peripheral-equipped games, and that makes accessories-makers like Mad Catz the beneficiary -- the company's just reported a record profit for its full fiscal year. Sales for the fiscal year ended March 31 were up 5.7 percent to $119 million, and profits were $4.5 million for the period, a large improvement over the $32.6 million loss from 2009. And the company says it expects to keep growing thanks to two major deals: It's the official peripherals partner for the recently-announced Rock Band 3, and it maintains an agreement with Activision for Call of Duty-related accessories -- recently extending it to cover upcoming Black Ops. Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson points to the company's sales growth despite challenging industry economics; according to NPD, in 2009 accessories were able to stay flat while game hardware and software declined. Richardson says Mad Catz will continue to try to "expand our offerings of premium and distinctive interactive entertainment accessories at higher price points and with strong margins." “I am pleased to report that we have achieved the goal we set at the beginning of the fiscal year, to reduce our operating expenses by a minimum of ten percent, and we achieved these efficiencies without impairing our ability to grow the business," Richardson explains.