Gameloft sales up 15% as virtual item sales grow

Mobile games outfit Gameloft today announced a 15 percent sales increase for the first half of 2013.

The company said its performance was boosted by a strong performance for games on smartphones and tablets, up 45 percent year-on-year, to account for 61 percent of the firm's income. Solid sales performances came from titles like Age Village, Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, My Little Pony (pictured) and Order & Chaos Online.

Sales came in at €109 million ($145 million), with net profits down 60 percent to €1.8 million ($2.4 million), which the French company attributed to domestic tax payments and foreign exchange fluctuations.

Its financial statement added that in-game item sales had increased the financial performance of its games. "Gameloft's rapid growth is also driven by the success of virtual goods and advertising which currently account for 80% of the company's smartphone revenues," offered a statement. "This business model increases the longevity of the company's products."