World Bulletin / News Desk

Nintendo nearly doubled its full-year profit forecast Monday as it pointed to sizzling sales of its Switch games console and a cheaper yen for the upbeat outlook.

Nintendo also boosted its sales projection for Switch, which was launched in March with a price tag of US$300 and is seen as a new pillar for the company's earnings.

The company said it expects to sell around 14 million Switch consoles in the current business year, up from an earlier 10 million forecast.

Switch, capable at home and on the go, blends Nintendo's console and handheld device business with its fledgling mobile gaming strategy, which got a big brand win with Pokemon Go's success in the summer of 2016.

During the April-September period, the company launched several headline game titles for Switch, including "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" and its popular "Splatoon2".

Its "Super Mario Odyssey", which was released last week, is also expected to increase sales for the second half, the firm said.

Meanwhile, expectations for a relatively weak yen boosted the bottom line as it inflates the value of profits earned abroad by Japanese exporters.