Net profit slumps by almost 75% for the last nine months of 2010...

Nintendo today announced its financial earnings for the latter nine months of 2010 running up to December 31st, with profits coming in lower than most analysts predicted.

Total net profit fell 74 percent from the same period in 2009 to 49.6 billion yen ($599 million). Nintendo shifted 13.7 million Wii systems and 15.7 million DS; down 20 percent and 33 percent from the previous year, respectively.

Total revenue took a comparatively gentler slump by 32 percent to 808 billion yen ($9.8 billion) as the DS platform wraps things up and Wii performance indicates it is perhaps past its peak.

All eyes will be on 3DS to jump-start Nintendo's coffers when it launches in Japan next month and elsewhere in March. The company is forecasting lowest annual profit in six years when the fiscal year ends at the end of March.