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GAMECUBE SHINES AT RETAIL
It's not all doom and gloom on the good ship Nintendo
15:09 Nintendo received a massive boost with sales of the GameCube hardware and software rocketing in stores last week.
Reports that the GameCube outsold Xbox in the UK hardware stakes last week will no doubt cheer Nintendo. Although this was possibly helped by the number of promotions on offer, it nevertheless represents an impressive booster for morale.
More importantly was the impressive results of GameCube-exclusive games releases last week with Nintendo's first GameCube Top 10 new entry in the Elspa All-Formats chart after a long dry spell.
Last week GameCube software sales rose 45% week-on-week, aided and abetted by the release of Phantasy Star Online I & II, Sonic Mega Collection and most impressively, the debut by Capcom's Resident Evil Zero.
There is more than a glimmer of light in a week of five new entries in the ELSPA Top 50 All Format Chart. GameCube-exclusive game Resident Evil Zero stormed in at Number 2 just behind multi-format The Sims and beating the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid: Substance on Xbox and Tenchu on the PS2.
After a turbulent time in the UK, Nintendo at least has something to smile at, especially after taking some harsh knocks. Particularly from UK giant electrical retailer Dixons who announced this week its refusal to restock the GameCube.
Last week there was a 21% uplift in Nintendo GameCube hardware sales, and this weekly success comes as a welcome respite. Nintendo is the first to admit the discounting from Dixons has helped. A Nintendo spokesperson told us: "We're doing very well. Software sales are up 45% and we were number one earlier in the week, and hardware sales are up 21% week-on-week. Of course the discounting helped us - together with our own free game promotion - you get a game and a GameCube for 99 which is great. " Things could look even better next week as Comet and John Lewis are price-matching Dixons, for the moment.
Things look even rosier in the Nintendo garden come March 21 when it's primed for an even bigger week. This sees the UK launch of another GameCube exclusive game - the hotly tipped Metroid Prime.
Metroid Prime sold 250,000 during the first week of its US release, and Nintendo wouldn't mind a piece of that for the improved European version of Metroid Prime.
We shall keep you informed of all developments. Remember, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is still to arrive and there are over 80 third-party GameCube games scheduled for release this year. So Nintendo fans, don't slash your wrists just yet...
> don't slash your wrists just yet...
Why didn't you tell me earlier?
*feels woozy*
They should all sell games for tenners, by the billions.
Yup.
> It just goes to show that people are willing to try new things at a
> decent price. Mind you, I though £130 for a GameCube was very
> reasonable at launch...especially when the shops had meetings with
> Nintendo to get the price up to £170 :D
£170? blimin money grabbing shops
But when you think about it, Dixons would be making a huge mistake in ditching the GameCube and its games, altogether...
What if they made this £99-a-console and £25-per-game thing permanent, and continued to stock GameCube's on a regular basis...
If they got word around about these prices, then surely they'd become the UK's No.1 GameCube retailers (sorry, SR!)!
Well, just as long as they add some more recent-releases to their database... Last time I checked, they didn't even have Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance on their shelves or site; not at RRP, £25, or nothin'!
Still, it's good to see the GameCube embaress the X-Box with `X-Box Live` coming along tommorow! :D
With Gamecubes been so cheap now Metriod prime as a great chance of been a high seller.