Reuters
UPDATE - Europe No. 2 player Nintendo sells 1.5 mln GameCubes
Tuesday January 7, 7:31 am ET
(adds Xbox sales forecast, online gaming plans, recasts throughout)
LONDON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Japanese video games company Nintendo (Tokyo:7974.T - News) said on Tuesday it had sold 1.5 million GameCube units in 2002, holding off rival Microsoft (NasdaqNM:MSFT - News) for second place in Europe's hotly contested game console market.
The company also said it sold three million of its portable Gameboy Advance devices in Europe in 2002, and that a new model aimed at older gamers would be introduced in March.
With the sales update, Nintendo maintained its slim hold on the number two position in game consoles in Europe, well behind Sony's (Tokyo:6758.T - News) PlayStation 2 but ahead of Microsoft's Xbox. Analysts say GameCube and Xbox are in a close battle for the Number 2 position, and that Microsoft could overtake Nintendo in Europe particularly if it sticks to an agressive strategy of bundling free games in with each Xbox sale.
Ben Keen, executive director of market research firm ScreenDigest, forecast on Tuesday that XBox sold 1.4 million consoles in Europe last year while PlayStation 2 sales are expected to come in at around the six million mark .
He projected Xbox would outsell GameCube in 2003 by a margin of 2.6 million units to GameCube's 2.2 million units.
NO CHANGE IN PRICE
Nintendo European managing director David Gosen said the strategy in 2003 would be to push new game titles, but not touch the price tag. GameCube carries a suggested retail price of 199 euros ($207), compared to Xbox's price of 249 euros.
"We intend to make 2003 a strong year for GameCube in which we focus on new games and we intend to build on our number two position," European manager David Gosen told Reuters.
He said over 80 new games will be launched for GameCube in 2003 and more than 60 new Gameboy Advance games. The first online GameCube game in Europe will be for sale on March 7, he added.
A new and thinner Gameboy Advance, called Gameboy Advance SP, will be introduced in Europe for between 129 and 139 euros on March 28. Current Gameboy Advance devices retail for around 99 euros in Continental Europe.
Nintendo will also enter the online gaming market in March, when it will begin to sell broadband and dial-up modem adapters for European Internet users to engage in multi-player online gaming.
The company has not disclosed prices for the adapters. It will launch online gaming with one title, Phantasy Star Online, an action game developed by Sega Corp. (Tokyo:7964.T - News).
UPDATE - Europe No. 2 player Nintendo sells 1.5 mln GameCubes
Tuesday January 7, 7:31 am ET
(adds Xbox sales forecast, online gaming plans, recasts throughout)
LONDON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Japanese video games company Nintendo (Tokyo:7974.T - News) said on Tuesday it had sold 1.5 million GameCube units in 2002, holding off rival Microsoft (NasdaqNM:MSFT - News) for second place in Europe's hotly contested game console market.
The company also said it sold three million of its portable Gameboy Advance devices in Europe in 2002, and that a new model aimed at older gamers would be introduced in March.
With the sales update, Nintendo maintained its slim hold on the number two position in game consoles in Europe, well behind Sony's (Tokyo:6758.T - News) PlayStation 2 but ahead of Microsoft's Xbox. Analysts say GameCube and Xbox are in a close battle for the Number 2 position, and that Microsoft could overtake Nintendo in Europe particularly if it sticks to an agressive strategy of bundling free games in with each Xbox sale.
Ben Keen, executive director of market research firm ScreenDigest, forecast on Tuesday that XBox sold 1.4 million consoles in Europe last year while PlayStation 2 sales are expected to come in at around the six million mark .
He projected Xbox would outsell GameCube in 2003 by a margin of 2.6 million units to GameCube's 2.2 million units.
NO CHANGE IN PRICE
Nintendo European managing director David Gosen said the strategy in 2003 would be to push new game titles, but not touch the price tag. GameCube carries a suggested retail price of 199 euros ($207), compared to Xbox's price of 249 euros.
"We intend to make 2003 a strong year for GameCube in which we focus on new games and we intend to build on our number two position," European manager David Gosen told Reuters.
He said over 80 new games will be launched for GameCube in 2003 and more than 60 new Gameboy Advance games. The first online GameCube game in Europe will be for sale on March 7, he added.
A new and thinner Gameboy Advance, called Gameboy Advance SP, will be introduced in Europe for between 129 and 139 euros on March 28. Current Gameboy Advance devices retail for around 99 euros in Continental Europe.
Nintendo will also enter the online gaming market in March, when it will begin to sell broadband and dial-up modem adapters for European Internet users to engage in multi-player online gaming.
The company has not disclosed prices for the adapters. It will launch online gaming with one title, Phantasy Star Online, an action game developed by Sega Corp. (Tokyo:7964.T - News).
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