Rune Factory developer Marvelous announces change in leadership and executive pay cuts due to company’s recent weak performance 

Marvelous, the company behind the Story of Seasons and Rune Factory series, recently published its earnings report for the first three quarters of the fiscal year ending March 2025. During this nine-month period (April to December 2024), Marvelous saw a decline in sales and revenue compared to last year, and its management has announced some measures to take responsibility for the poor performance (as reported by GameBiz). 

Citing few game releases of core IPs and sluggish sales of new titles, Marvelous reported a 4.8% decline in sales and 12.4% drop in net profit compared to the same period last year. As a result, the company has announced a downward revision of its earnings forecast for the full year, expecting net profit and sales to drop significantly below previously set targets. 

During this fiscal term, Marvelous launched the farming RPG Farmagia and re-released the Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town remake at a reduced price, the latter of which “performed steadily.” The company also has the release of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma in its future lineup, but as the title is scheduled to launch on May 30, it will not be contributing to Marvelous’s sales for the current fiscal year. 

As a result of recent weak performance, the company announced that Sato Suminobu, its current CEO, will be stepping down from his position as of March 31 to take responsibility. He will be replaced by Shinichi Terui, who is currently one of Marvelous’s executive directors. Management will also assume responsibility in the form of pay cuts, with two full-time executives of Marvelous receiving monthly salary reductions in February and March.