Bandai Namco Raises Gundam Revenue Forecast to $1.5B

Japanese multinational video game publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., reported unprecedented first-half gains across the company’s “Toys & Hobby” and “Digital Entertainment” divisions due to the Mobile Suit Gundam IP. After the sudden surge, the conglomerate has revised its annual revenue forecast for the Mobile Suit Gundam IP, projecting $1.5B, a 40% increase from its earlier estimate, for Fiscal Year 2026.

The franchise saw a total revenue of around $825M in the past six months, nearly reaching 2024’s full-year total of $997M. According to the company’s Nov. 6 financial presentation, Gundam series sales increased due to a synergy across retail, animation, and digital releases.

Gundam model kit sales increased during the 45th anniversary campaign, with the new anime Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX and the mobile title SD Gundam G Generation Eternal gaining traction among its global fan base. The company also observed stable revenue from the Gundam card game and Gundam Next Pavillion Expo, observed in Osaka.

Gundam Revenue and Longevity

According to the current financial report, Gundam IP revenue dwarfed Dragon Ball and One Piece’s success, the two other flagship titles of Bandai Namco. In the first half of FY 2026, the IP generated a consolidated revenue of ¥127.2B (~$825M) , increasing from ¥76.5B (~$496M) in the first half of FY 2025. Among this, the “Toys and Hobby" section generated ¥49.3B (~$319.4M), resulting in a ¥93B ($602.6M) forecast due to the ongoing demand of premium Gundam model kits, “Gunpla.”

Global collectors and mature-age fans drive recurring demand for Gunpla and capsule toys, digital extensions such as G Generation Eternal (estimated $200M in revenue in 2025) sustain online engagement. The Gundam card game was rolled out in 54 markets for a wider push and engagement. Meanwhile, the theatrical release Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning set a record at the box office, boosting the visual content business and reinforcing the IP’s global pull. 

The global rollout feature highlights how the Gundam series is increasingly marketed and consumed outside Japan, in line with Bandai Namco’s push for global IP expansion. Bandai Namco has turned Gundam’s legacy IP into an evergreen asset with its IP-axis strategy, linking product, region, and timing.