Nintendo beefs up publicity and R&D spending

TOKYO--Intent on supporting the successful launch of the DS, and developing its next-generation game console Revolution, Nintendo is increasing cash flow into two key areas during the remaining months of its fiscal year.

The Nikkei Financial Daily reported yesterday that Nintendo is putting an additional 2 billion yen ($19.5 million) into R&D, up 39 percent from last year. The new R&D budget is 22 billion yen ($215 million). Nintendo also added an additional 3 billion yen ($29.4 million) to promotions and publicity for the year--that's an 8 percent increase over last year. That budget is now 58 billion yen ($580 million). Both the R&D and promotion budgets are record amounts for the company.

The Nikkei Financial Daily also reported that Nintendo plans to pour additional cash into its manufacturing facilities in order to increase output of the DS handheld. Facility funds will increase by 76 percent to 4 billion yen ($39 million). More precise figures for the current fiscal year will be announced by the company in its full-year financial report, which is due shortly after April 1.