Capcom listed a string of heavy losses for the nine months ended Dec‭ ‬31‭ ‬2008.‭ ‬Measured against the same period in‭ ‬2007,‭ ‬Capcom found operating profits were down‭ ‬57‭ ‬percent,‭ ‬sales fell‭ ‬8.6‭ ‬percent and net income tumbled a striking‭ ‬95‭ ‬percent.

The company stated that net income‭ ‬had fallen to‭ ‬¥179‭ ‬million,‭ dropping from the‭ ‬¥3.57‭ ‬billion it reported this time last year. Sales‭ ‬fell to‭ ‬¥47,223‭ ‬million‭‬,‭ ‬with the publisher attributing the loss to‭ “‬the slacking performance of Arcade Operations and Contents Expansion business‭”‬,‭ ‬as well as citing the high Yen.

Net sales fell‭ ‬13.4‭ ‬percent to‭ ‬¥26,709‭ ‬million,‭ ‬with Capcom stating that‭ “‬overall sales remained weak because we were in a transitional period in our product development cycle.‭ ‬Many of the flagship software titles are scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter.‭”

And if the arcade sales performance of Street Fighter IV is any indication,‭ ‬then Capcom has put wise faith in the final quarter of the financial year:‭ . In the arcade sector, Capcom's overall sales managed to achieve "satisfactory results thanks to the contribution of‭ [‬the arcade version of‭] ‬Street Fighter IV,‭ ‬which became a hit in the first half of this fiscal year,” ‬said the publisher,‭ ‬adding that net arcade sales increased to‭ ‬¥4,841‭ ‬million,‭ ‬a‭ ‬123.1‭ ‬percent surge over last year.

“As for profits,‭ ‬operating income decreased to‭ ‬¥2,613‭ ‬million‭” ‬said the company,‭ “‬down‭ ‬57.2‭ ‬%‭ ‬from the same term last‭ ‬year,‭ ‬due partially to an increase in cost to sales ratio.‭”

The publisher suggested that‭ ‬Japan’s‭ ‬year-end shopping season‭ ‬“lacked excitement‭”‬,‭ ‬claiming that the key reason for this is the handheld market having‭ “‬fully‭ ‬disseminated.‭”‬

“The absence of flagship titles as well as consumers‭’ ‬money-saving attitudes also negatively affected‭ ‬sales,‭” ‬said Capcom.