Take-Two Announces “Strong” Performance in Q2 Financial Results

This afternoon, Take-Two Interactive Software announced their financial results for the second quarter of their fiscal year 2021, which ran from July 1, 2020 until Sept. 30, 2020.

Their GAAP net revenue was even greater than last quarter by nearly $10 million. However, compared to Q2 fiscal year 2020, this number dropped by $16.7 million.

• GAAP net revenue was $841.1 million, an increase of nearly $10 million over last quarter
• GAAP net income per diluted share increased 37% to $0.86 
• GAAP net cash provided by operating activities for the six-months ended September 30, 2020 increased 335% to $626.7 million
• Adjusted Unrestricted Operating Cash Flow (Non-GAAP) for the six-months ended September 30, 2020 increased 1135% to $509.4 million
• Net Bookings grew to $957.5 million
• Company raises outlook for fiscal year 2021, including record Net Bookings

It’s also important to note that 59% of their total GAAP net revenue from Q2 came from recurrent customer spending. This includes virtual currency, add-ons, and other in-game purchases. This section of their revenue also saw a 56% increase in Q2.

We also got details on which of their franchises contributed most to their revenue during Q2 as well as some details on how much of their revenue came from digital sales.

The largest contributors to GAAP net revenue in fiscal second quarter 2021 were NBA® 2K20 and NBA 2K21; Grand Theft Auto® Online and Grand Theft Auto V; Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online; Borderlands® 3; PGA TOUR® 2K21; Social Point’s mobile offerings; the Mafia: Definitive Editions and Mafia: Trilogy; Sid Meier’s Civilization VI; and the WWE® series.

Digitally-delivered GAAP net revenue increased 16% to $711.3 million, as compared to $615.8 million in last year’s fiscal second quarter, and accounted for 85% of total GAAP net revenue. The largest contributors to GAAP digitally-delivered net revenue in fiscal second quarter 2021 were NBA 2K20 and NBA 2K21; Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V; Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online; Borderlands 3; Social Point’s mobile offerings; PGA TOUR 2K21; the Mafia Definitive Editions and Mafia: Trilogy; the WWE series; and Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.

Below you can find the net bookings for Take-Two in Q2. As you can see, digital purchasing and recurrent consumers are continuing to increase.

During fiscal second quarter 2021, total Net Bookings grew to $957.5 million, as compared to $950.5 million during last year’s fiscal second quarter. Net Bookings from recurrent consumer spending grew 43% and accounted for 64% of total Net Bookings.

Digitally-delivered Net Bookings grew 14% to $791.7 million, as compared to $695.3 million in last year’s fiscal second quarter, and accounted for 83% of total Net Bookings.

Despite all the changes to the world with COVID-19, Take-Two CEO, Strauss Zelnick announced that they have, “…better-than-expected second quarter operating results and increased forecast for the balance of the year…”

When it comes to increasing projections, Zelnick stated, “…we are raising our fiscal 2021 outlook, and we now expect record Net Bookings of over $3 billion.”

Next, they went into the details of some of their larger studios like Rockstar, 2K, and Private Division. All the details for each studio and Take-Two as a whole can be found below.

Take-Two:

• Acquired privately-held Playdots, Inc. for final consideration of $196 million, comprised of $98 million in cash and the balance in newly issued shares of Take-Two common stock. Founded in 2013 and based in New York City, Playdots builds mobile games with unique and thoughtful designs. They are best known for Two Dots, which has been downloaded over 80 million times since its launch six years ago and that continues to deeply engage audiences throughout the world. Playdots is led by Nir Efrat, who came to Playdots in March 2018 and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Playdots, Efrat was Head of Franchises and Studios at King, the creator of the widely successful Candy Crush mobile game series. He will continue to lead Playdots and its approximately 70 employees. Playdots has a robust development pipeline with a number of innovative puzzle games planned for launch over the coming years.

Rockstar Games:

• Acquired Ruffian Games. Based in Dundee, Scotland, the studio will operate under the new name of Rockstar Dundee. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Founded in 2008 by Gary Liddon and Billy Thomson, Ruffian partnered with Microsoft to work on the Crackdown series, and with 343 Industries on Halo: Reach from the Halo Master Chief Collection, among many other projects. Ruffian’s talented team of just over 40 have a depth of development experience that even includes work on some early Rockstar titles from the Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt series. Both Liddon and Thomson will remain on-board as Co-Studio Directors of Rockstar Dundee.
• Released new free content updates for Red Dead Online including:
  • The Naturalist, a massive new update to Red Dead Online featuring the latest specialist Role: The Naturalist, giving players the opportunity to track, study and sample animals for Naturalist Harriet Davenport, or hunt them for the trapper Gus MacMillan. The update also featured Legendary Animals, Legendary Animal Sighting Missions, Poaching Missions, new Free Roam Events, two new weapons, a new variant of the Varmint Rifle, the Advanced Camera, new clothing, and an assortment of unique items and rewards in the latest edition of Outlaw Pass: The Outlaw Pass No. 3.
• Released new free content updates for Grand Theft Auto Online,including The Los Santos Summer Special Update, which introduced six Superyacht Life Co-Op Missions, 15 new Vehicles, nine Open Wheel Race Tracks and the new Open Wheel Race Creator, new Business Battles, the Diamond Adversary Series, two new Arcade Cabinets, new collectibles, clothing and Ambient Events, plus multiple gameplay improvements.
• Both Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online will receive major updates later this fiscal year, featuring an extension to existing Frontier Pursuits for Red Dead Online, as well as Grand Theft Auto Online’s biggest update ever, featuring a new take on Heists in a new location.

2K:

• Launched NBA 2K21, the next iteration of the top-rated and top-selling NBA video game simulation series, for current-generation platforms worldwide. With its release, NBA 2K21 offers one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and basketball culture, including exciting improvements upon its best-in-class gameplay, competitive and community online features and deep, varied game modes. Featuring Portland Trail Blazers’ superstar Damian Lillard on the cover, the current-gen version of NBA 2K21 is available for $59.99 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC and Stadia. The NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever Edition for current-gen features basketball legend Kobe Bryant on a unique custom cover with his No. 8 jersey and is available for $99.99. Of note, the Mamba Forever Edition includes dual-access to NBA 2K21 for current and next-gen versions of the game on either PlayStation or Xbox consoles, providing purchasers with a copy of the standard edition of the game on the other generation within the same console family. NBA 2K21 will be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X when they launch in November 2020.
• Launched Mafia: Definitive Edition for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Developed by 2K and Hangar 13, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a comprehensive, built-from-the-ground-up remake of the original Mafia. The remake features an updated script, additional cutscenes, all-new gameplay sequences and features, a re-recorded orchestral score, and other enhancements.
• Launched WWE 2K Battlegrounds, the arcade-style brawler that will bring over-the-top WWE action to a new level of intensity, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC , Switch and Stadia. Developed by Saber Interactive, WWE 2K Battlegrounds brings fast-paced action and an assortment of power-ups, special moves, unconventional melee items and interactive environments to take the brawl to the next level. Players can take on the challenges alone or compete with friends and family in person or online in cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.
• Launched PGA TOUR 2K21 from HB Studios for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch (digital), PC and Stadia. The game features PGA TOUR professional Justin Thomas as its cover athlete; officially licensed pro players, courses and gear; the most realistic course scanning to date; play-by-play commentary by Luke Elvy and Rich Beem; a new PGA TOUR Career Mode, online and local multiplayer; course and player customization; and online societies.
• Announced that Borderlands 3 will be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X when they launch in November 2020. In addition, 2K announced a second Season Pass for Borderlands 3 will be available on November 10, 2020 for all previously released and next-gen versions of the game. Season Pass 2 will include two brand new content add-ons – Designer’s Cut, which will add all new ways to play Borderlands 3 by introducing a new Skill Tree for each Vault Hunter, a new standalone mode called Arms Race, and more; and the Director’s Cut, which is planned for release in spring of next year.
• Announced that Season 7 of WWE SuperCard, the newest addition to the action-packed collectible card-battling game, is scheduled to launch in November 2020 as a free, downloadable update for iOS, Android™ and Facebook Gaming.
• The NBA 2K League concluded its third season on August 28, 2020 with Wizards District Gaming winning the 2020 League Championship. Games were simulcast live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as ESPN’s platforms and Sportsnet (Canada). The NBA 2K League has begun the tryout process for its fourth season, set to take place in 2021.
• Announced a partnership with OneTeam Partners and the National Football League Players Association that will allow the label to include the names, numbers, images and likenesses for over 2,000 current NFL players in multiple, non-simulation football games that are currently in development and set to launch starting in calendar year 2021, during fiscal 2022.

Private Division:

• Released, along with Obsidian Entertainment, The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon, the first narrative-led expansion for the critically acclaimed, darkly humorous sci-fi RPG for thePlayStation4, Xbox One and PC. The expansion will be coming later to Nintendo Switch. The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon is available individually or at a discount as part of The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass, which will also include The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos, the second expansion set to launch in the first half of calendar 2021.
• Announced three new publishing agreements with top independent developers Moon Studios, League of Geeks, and Roll7. In collaboration with these developers, Private Division will announce more details about each specific project in the future. The first of these titles is expected to launch in fiscal year 2022.

Finally, we got an updates list of the titles coming in the future from Take-Two studios.

If you want to check out all the details from the last quarter of Take-Two financial results, then you can find those details here.