Square Enix has just released its financial results for the first three quarters of the financial year (i.e. April 2024 through to the end of December), among which is an impressive uptick in merch sales (thanks, GR+).
And the hand-rubbing executives have no problem giving credit where credit's due: It's «mainly driven by strong sales of character merchandise» and three items in particular.
Over these nine months the publisher sold 14.9 billion yen ($97 million) worth of merch, compared to 12.4 billion yen over the same period in 2023, and only one of the three main drivers is pure and innocent.
Square Enix credits the year-on-year increase in sales to a Dragon Quest set, a Tifa Lockheart action figure, and a wildly expensive three-feet tall statue of Nier: Automata's 2B.
OK: Own up. Who has been buying the $2,600 Masterline Deluxe 2B statue? Or even the regular version at a mere $2,400? You're all going to go blind.