Konami posts $195 million profit

Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which was released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in June, continued to be one of the company's top performers. The top-rated action adventure helped the Metal Gear series sell more than 4.5 million units in 2008. (GameSpot initially reported that Metal Gear Solid 4 sold 4.5 million units by itself, but the figure includes all games in the franchise. GameSpot regrets the error.)

For the first nine months of its current fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, Konami has sold 22.35 million software units across its various franchises. In addition to Metal Gear's gains, the publisher has been bolstered by the success of its Pro Evolution Soccer franchise, which has sold more than 7.41 million units during the nine-month period. Other top performers for the game company include Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for the Nintendo DS, as well as installments in its perennial Dance Dance Revolution rhythm franchise.

Despite Konami's positive growth during the period, the publisher provided a warning to investors that the global economic downturn will have a negative impact on its full-year returns. Citing slower consumer spending and a strengthening of the yen, Konami revised its full-year revenue and profit outlook downward. The publisher now expects revenues to rise 3.2 percent to ¥307 billion ($3.36 billion) during the year, with profits now projected to grow a mere .3 percent to ¥18.5 billion ($203 million).