For the last two years, Nintendo has been the success story of the gaming world with its DS Lite and Wii hardware regularly topping sales charts and quintupling the company's stock value. A growth rate like that is difficult to sustain, and Reuters is reporting this week that the company's financial fortunes are finally starting to slow down.

　　In the last month, Nintendo shares have lost 8 percent of their value. While the Nikkei average was down as well, it still outperformed the Wii maker by dropping just 5 percent over the same span. While there hasn't been any specific event to spark the sudden drop in Nintendo's stock, Ichiyoshi Investment Management chief fund manager Mitsushige Akino told the news agency that investors are simply no longer surprised by the company's success.

　　"The difference is market participants have now realized Nintendo's potential, and it is pretty much factored in the share price," Akino said. "Back in 2005, no one could image Nintendo being where it is now."

　　Another fund manager attributed the slowdown to improving competition and a generally sluggish retail sales season in the US.

　　"People's perception of the [PlayStation 3] is improving from an underdog to something better, and part of the money that used to flow into Nintendo shares is now going to the Sony stock," said Mizuho Asset Management fund manager Yoshihisa Okamoto. "It would be difficult for Nintendo shares to rise much further from here without such factors as healthy consumer spending in the United States and strong sales of Nintendo products in the Christmas season."

　　Nintendo shares closed the day's trading at ¥64,700 ($577), down just over 2 percent.