Nintendo maintains forecast despite strong yen, Wii Fit closes on 9 million (update)

Nintendo's announced first-half financials for the period ending September 2008, and has maintained a sales forecast of 2 trillion yen despite a strengthening of the currency.

The annual net profit forecast has been cut by nearly 16 percent for the full fiscal year, however: the company now predicts a net profit of ¥345 billion for the 12 months ending March, a drop from the previous projection of ¥410 billion.

Operating profit reached ¥252.2b in the first fiscal half, a 9.4 percent improvement over the same period last year.

The firm has increased by hardware and software estimates for the year. Its DS software forecast has increased to 207 million from 197 million, and Wii consoles sales are now expected to hit 27.5 million compared to a previous estimate of 26.5 million.

Wii software will stand at 200 million for the full year, the company said, up from 186 million.

Nintendo also confirmed that total DS shipments have now hit 84.33 million units worldwide, surpassing the 81.36 shipped Game Boy Advance units.

Software shipments for DS stand at 454.63 million units, with Nintendogs now at 20 million worldwide.

Nintendo has shipped 34.55 Wii units and 229.85 million software units. Wii Fit has sipped 8.7 million units worldwide.

Update: There a big update on this on Reuters.

Thanks, Kotaku, Edge and Blerk.