Capcom Sees Profits Rise

Capcom is announcing better than expected financial results. For the three months that ended on September 30, the publisher revealed having seen revenue rise by 16.8% to reach the figure of 1.87 billion Yen, which is about 18.9 million dollars. Operating income was also on an upward trend and the company is seeing a good year ahead.

The main source of income for Capcom has been the much lauded PlayStation Portable title Monster Hunter Freedom 2nd G, which has sold more than 2.5 million units in Japan since its launch. The game focuses on giving players a complete experience of hunting weird creatures, mainly on land but also in the air. The variety of the monsters that you can encounter in the game, the multiple ways in which you can approach the situation and the popularity of the previous games in the series have created a videogaming phenomenon that took the Japanese market by storm. The success has not been replicated in North America or in Europe.

The arcade gaming division of Capcom has seen revenue going down by a whooping 66%. In Japan, you can play Street Fighter IV on an arcade machine but this was not enough to attract players.

At the moment, Capcom is seeking to deliver games on the Western market which can help it expand its audience. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix will be released via Xbox Live and PlayStation Store while Street Fighter IV will be launched in the West in 2009.

Monster Hunter 3 is now in development at Capcom and will arrive for the Nintendo Wii sometime in 2009. The game will expand the experience offered by Monster Hunter Freedom and will offer players a more interactive experience through Monster Hunter Theater, a service which allows players to upload video and commentary of their battles.