Published: May 22, 2008

Capcom "Online Games" Score

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Capcom the Japanese game software maker, plans to go into China's rising online game market -- with Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited and NetEase.com Inc. as their possible competitors.

Capcom is known for several popular games made for console and handheld gear. These games include "Devil May Cry" and "Lost Planet". But the company is widely best known for the highly successful "Street Fighter", which spawned a 1994 movie starring international marital arts action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme, and another film adaptation is in the works with actress Kristin Kreuk (Smallville). Capcom also had another popular game that made it to the big screen with "Resident Evil". Model-actress Milla Jovovich became an action heroine in all three films from 2002-2007, and despite mixed reviews, the trilogy did well at the box office.

Capcom has been responsible for successful modification of putting these games on the Internet, leading to a new source of income. "Online games", said Chief Financial Officer Kazuhiko Abe, "are played only by a certain group of users in Japan. It would be an attractive step to modify some of our big-name titles that were originally developed for consoles into online use, and launch them in big markets like South Korea and China."

Abe also said that shares in Capcom ended at four percent at 3,410 yen, outselling the Nikkel average, which declined at almost two percent.

On Tuesday, the company stated a 37 percent increase in annual operating profit for the year ended less than two months ago, also increased by "Devil May Cry 4" and "Monster Hunter Freedom 2G", both of which are quickly becoming sensations.

Source: Reuters