From Reuters: "Kyoto-based Nintendo raised its operating profit forecast for the year to March to a record 420 billion yen ($3.7 billion), in line with analysts' expectations, and up from an earlier estimate of 370 billion yen.

The revised forecast -- its second upward revision this year -- is 86 percent above the previous year's result and follows an increase in first-half profit to 188.8 billion yen."

Since it's launch on November 19, 2006, the Wii has remained a solid system seller and hasn't changed it's hardware configuration or pricing, at $249.99. The Xbox 360 has three models: The Xbox 360 Elite ($449.99), Xbox 360 Pro Bundle ($349.99) and the recently announced Xbox 360 Arcade, which edges closer in price to the Wii at $279.99. The Xbox 360 Premium launched in November 2005 at $399. Sony recently reconfigured it's Playstation 3 hardware and is available as a PS3 80GB package ($499.99), 40GB package with Spider-man 3 Blu-Ray ($399.99) and some 60GB models ($499.99) remain from before. The PS3 60GB model launched at $599, just a couple days before the Wii on November 17, 2006. Of the three consoles, the Wii has the best support/backwards compatibility of previous generation games.

Software sales forecasts for the Nintendo consoles have also been raised as a result of increased publisher support, "by 35 percent to 97 million units." While the sales numbers sound great for the Wii, you don't have to look far within the gaming community to hear rumblings of concerns of the Wii's gameplay life. The Wii definitely has catching up to do in it's online play as well, being the weakest of the next-gen consoles in that category. Either way, it looks like for the remainder of the year the Wii is anticipated to remain a sales success, even with limits on the stock and quantities that can be purchased.

From Reuters

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