Nintendo seem pleased by the Nintendo DS sales and have thus altered their profit forecasts for the fiscal year of 2004.

By the end of the fiscal year 2004, running from April 1st 2004 to March 31st 2005, Nintendo are expecting a net profit of 90 billion yen.

Profit is expected to triple this year due to the Nintendo DS.

"This is the honeymoon period for the DS," said Amir Anvarzadeh, director of Japanese equity sales at KBC Financial Products in London, which has a "buy" rating on Nintendo. "Sony will take a significant and notable market share from Nintendo over the next 12 months."

Nintendo are hoping to ship five million Nintendo DS units by the end of the business year. "Our game machines can be easily played by anybody and differs with Sony in that approach," Mori said.

Nintendo expects full-year sales to total 540 billion yen, up from an earlier estimate of 530 billion yen, due to the Nintendo DS.

For more information about Nintendo's current profit expectations visit the official Nintendo site