Nintendo posts group interim net profit of 273 million dollars

Nintendo, known for its popular Gameboy computer, said its consolidated sales volume for the first half that ended on September 30 was 190 billion yen.

The Kyoto-based corporation did not post results for the year-earlier first half. It said it expects a consolidated net profit of 78 billion yen for the year to end March 31 for a 39.1 per cent gain over the previous business year.

But it also said it expects its turnover for the year will decline by 5.8 per cent to 500 billion yen. Nintendo recently announced that next year it will begin marketing Game Boy Advance as well as a new game console known as Gamecube.

Game Boy Advance will be faster than its predecessor. It will also have a three-dimensional capable screen that is 50 per cent bigger than the Gameboy screen and will be equipped with an Internet connection. Its users will also be able to connect it with a mobile phone and play games at long distances with other Game Boy Advance users.

It is to be marketed in Europe and the United States beginning next July, the same month the new console Gamecube is to be introduced to the Japanese market.

(la/dpa)