Video game retailer GameStop on Thursday reported earnings for the quarter ended August 1, revealing overall gains for revenue and profit thanks in part to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Batman: Arkham Knight.
Total sales rose 1.8 percent to $1.76 billion, while profit for the quarter was $33.1 million, an increase of 34.6 percent compared to last year. This figure, however, excludes a one-time charge of $9.1 million related to GameStop’s $140 million acquisition of ThinkGeek during the quarter.
GameStop new hardware sales fell 2.2 percent, while new software sales dropped by an even steeper 6 percent. Pre-owned sales, a key area of business for GameStop, rose just .5 percent, with the upswing due in part to an “acceleration” in Xbox One and PlayStation 4 sales.
Sales in the retailer’s digital business grew year-over-year, rising 11.1 percent to $199.1 million. Success in this department was attributed in part to “strong sales” of The Witcher 3 and Arkham Knight DLC.
Another non-gaming category that did well for GameStop was its Mobile and Consumer Electronics division, which posted a 26.9 percent gain to $142.2 million in revenue. This was driven by a 62.3 percent increase in GameStop’s Technology Brands unit, which includes Spring Mobile and Cricket Wireless.
GameStop’s biggest area of growth for the quarter, on a percentage basis, was its “Other” category. Sales in this department rose 37.7 percent thanks to strong sales of collectibles through ThinkGeek. The retailer said previously that it expects to see a boost of $100 million-plus in annual net sales as a result of the buyout.
More GameStop news may come later today, as the retailer will hold an earnings call to discuss these results and more, starting at 2 PM PDT / 5 PM EDT.