Profits up 866% at Capcom

Capcom has reported net profits of YEN 1.73bn ($19.1m) for the nine months ending December 31st 2009 – a whopping 866 per cent increase on the same period a year before.

Net sales hit YEN 49.98bn ($554m) in the period, up five per cent year-on-year. Star performers included the Monster Hunter and Ace Attorney series, as well as the resurgent Mega Man IP.

However, sales of key Wii titles – namely Okami and Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles – were described as slow”. Capcom has also warned that recent release Dark Void is unlikely to deliver on expectations – as had been previously suggested.

Despite the bumper numbers, Capcom has lowered its net sales forecasts by 32 per cent and profit expectations by over 76 per cent. It blamed the restructuring of its arcade and pachinko business and warned of likely delays to key 2010 titles.

Looking further ahead, Capcom predicts a strong recovery for the video games sector in 2011, partly due to the continuing uptake of digital games purchases.