THE APPROACH FOR THIS PERIOD AND BEYOND
NTN: Lastly, what do you foresee for the game market in 2015?
Mr. Hayakawa: I believe that the overall game market will continue to grow, with mobile devices as a driving force. I believe that individual IPs will be made available across various devices, and so eventually it will become meaningless to categorize the market. The role of the mobile platform will be to connect people with their games across various devices, and so the methods and presentation employed in distributing information on mobile devices will be critical.
Shifting the discussion to only mobile games; the market has developed to the point that users are now extremely discerning about product quality and game design. Given that new titles come out almost every day and success depends upon having a recognizable IP backed with solid technology and a sizeable marketing budget, this is now a business that only a limited number of companies can engage in. Despite this challenging environment, if our company can continue to fully exert its power to create, to refine, and to deliver, I believe that we have the opportunity to grow even further. Also, Konami's history is a path that is paved with innovations. Our devotion to pushing ourselves ever further in order to offer players new game experiences has repeatedly manifested itself in IPs that go on to gain extraordinary support from our many fans. And now, we are actively working toward the new innovations that will pave the path ahead. Look forward to an exciting future with Konami.