Several times a year, public companies chat with investors about how the business is going, answering questions from analysts and shareholders at the end. In the games industry, these questions are usually very boring. Listening in to the EA, Activision, and Ubisoft calls, we've now heard at least three iterations of "So what does Fortnite mean for the landscape?"
But as Niko Partners senior analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed out on Twitter, a Capcom shareholders meeting held back in June was the exception to the rule. You can read the full transcript here, but there's really just one investor (or troll who sneaked in?) you need to know about. They begin their barrage with my all-time favorite shareholder question:
"My son is fervent online game player but says that Capcom’s graphics are unsophisticated. Please do something about this."
I love everything about that. The son. The firm request that they "do something" about the son's opinion. It's a beautiful thing. Capcom of course gave a standard response, noting that it has "become able to collect feedback from players in a manner of different ways."
The questioner was not done there. After a big swing with question one, they came back with a strong left hook:
"Regarding Arcade Operations, when my son was younger, arcade trading-card games were popular, generating long lines to play. I would really like to see a comeback for arcades as a family entertainment option. I want you to invent an explosive, hit arcade machine."
I see no reason why one wouldn't invent an explosive, hit arcade machine. Capcom should do this, in my opinion.
Still, they were not done. Even after insisting Capcom make its graphics better and also invent a very good arcade game, which is quite a bit of work, this attendee still had one more request:
"Have you provided any gifts for shareholders today? I want some original Capcom merchandise."
The answer was no. How cruel.
I should say that other people asked questions during the meeting—questions that were actually questions and not demands that they tighten up the graphics, and if you really want to read about the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle's performance, you can find the answers here.
I wish more shareholders brought their sons' opinions about videogames into meetings, though. Imagine someone demanding that EA explain why their son keeps yelling "POG champ" at them.
