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"Gamecube: Fastest Selling Next-Gen Console in America.... or Something...."

Ignoring strong economic headwinds, NINTENDO GAMECUBE(TM) has soared to record retail heights, becoming the fastest-selling home video game console of this generation.

Through its first week of availability, NINTENDO GAMECUBE sold more than one-half million systems to consumers, at a rate nearly twice that of Microsoft's Xbox, and at least 25 percent faster than the launch of Sony's Playstation 2 last year.

In addition, the ghost-themed Luigi's Mansion(TM) for NINTENDO GAMECUBE has quickly become the most popular console launch game ever, with sales rates even eclipsing those of the unanimously acclaimed Super Mario 64(TM), which launched with the Nintendo® 64 console in 1996.

``To have outpaced any other video game console launch ever would be notable in its own right,'' says Peter Main, executive vice president for sales and marketing, Nintendo of America. ``But to accomplish this under the current economic conditions is truly remarkable. There is a seemingly endless appetite for high quality, stay-at-home entertainment at an affordable price -- which is a perfect definition of NINTENDO GAMECUBE.''

Of initial North American shipments of some 740,000 hardware units, approximately 100,000 systems went to Canada and Latin America and another 75,000 to U.S. rental and other distribution channels. Of the approximately 80 percent destined for U.S. retail locations, virtually all are now sold out. However, the first of weekly replenishments of approximately 125,000 units are already arriving at stores.

With Luigi's Mansion and Lucas Arts' Star Wars® Rogue Squadron® II: Rogue Leader(TM) leading the way, consumers are buying about two games for every NINTENDO GAMECUBE purchased. In addition, two of the industry's most anticipated titles for the holidays, Nintendo exclusives Pikmin(TM) and Super Smash Brothers Melee(TM), will be introduced next week. In all, a total of 22 NINTENDO GAMECUBE titles will be available by year-end, growing to some 35 by the end of March.

``At a suggested retail price of $199.95, consumers can purchase NINTENDO GAMECUBE and two games for the same cost as rival, current generation game consoles alone. It's like getting two games for free,'' Main adds.

A dedicated game play system, NINTENDO GAMECUBE delivers new forms of interactive fun for players and offers the easiest development environment for game creators. The system's embedded memory, proprietary optical disc and innovative controller were designed to optimize the game play experience. NINTENDO GAMECUBE is available in two colors: Jet (black) and Indigo (violet) for a suggested retail price of $199.95.

As the worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co. Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home video game systems. The systems include Game Boy®, Nintendo® 64, Game Boy Advance and NINTENDO GAMECUBE. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1985, Nintendo has sold more than 1.4 billion video games worldwide, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario(TM) and Donkey Kong® and launching such franchises as Zelda(TM) and Pokemon®. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.


This is al my own work and is in no way copied from the following URL:

http://www.planetgamecube.com/news.cfm?action=item&id=2408

Its good news for Nintendo at the moment, but these figures mean very little. Only by the end of 2002 will we begin to see what`s actually happening, possibly even as far as 2004. At present, all we know is that all the next gen consoles sold out at launch.

Ant wrote:
> Congratulations to Nintendo, was it this popular in Japan??

Well it did sell out there too.

There weren't a great deal of pictures of big queues, so people assumed it wasn't successful.

Super Smash Bros:DX (As it's called in Japan) got to 2nd place in the game sales chart, despite being released mid-week, so it sold a huge amount of copies!

Game had to do it like that.

Last time he put a several times in big letters:

"Copied from CLoudchaser"

SR then went on to give him a GAD! :-D

:D

I hate to be the one to say this but Game copied this whole thing from:

http://www.planetgamecube.com/news.cfm?action=item&id=2408

yeah, but you could say the same of the Xbox, so what's the difference? I dunno when PS2 was launched, but it was Sonys own fault it didn't sell fast, cos they didn't ship anywhere near enough consoles. On the net people were paying £1000s for PS2s

(God knows why... :D)

Errrrr... you do realise that most people are buying the console because it's coming up to Christmas- I bet that if the console had been released after Xmas it would have sold poorly.

When's the UK GC coming out then. :(

Sonic

I second what Cooky said!

(that's a first...)

"Gamecube: Fastest Selling Next-Gen Console in America"

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT!?!?!?

It's NINTENDO!!!

The GREATEST console developer in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!

Of course it's gonna have the best launch EVER!!!!!!!

NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ooooooooooooooooooooo.................. I NEED MY GAMECUBE

NOW!

:)

Congratulations to Nintendo, was it this popular in Japan??

I'm not surprised about Luigi's Mansion, but from what I've read, it's the most disappointing out of the launch game. It's not a bad game supposedly, but the other launch titles are meant to be 'better.' Make of it what you will.

But anyway, it looks like the competition is gonna be hot. How far behind are Microsoft?