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RSS feedsNintendo is to step up the pressure on its rivals by launching its Game Cube game console in Europe on 3 May. The initial shipment of 500,000 units will be cheaper than the Sony and Microsoft consoles.
The company has pledged that there will be at least 20 games available at its debut, with the selection said to be expanding to about 50 by the summer.
Games available at launch will include third-party titles Road to the World Cup, Sonic Adventure 2 and Star Wars Rogue Leader, and in-house developed Luigi's Mansion and Wave Race Blue Storm.
Nintendo has set a price of about eu249 (£152), which is less than both Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation 2.
The PlayStation 2 console has been priced at £199 in the UK. Xbox went on sale in the US in November and is scheduled to arrive in Japan next month. At its debut in Europe on 14 March, it will sell for eu479 (£299).
Nintendo said it had shipped about 2.7 million GameCubes by the end of last year. The company launched the device in Japan in September 2001, followed two months later with a US launch.
Nintendo emphasised the console's compatibility with the Game Boy Advance, which can operate as a GameCube controller and be used to transfer game data between systems.
The company also said it would slash the price of its Game Boy Advance handheld by about 20 per cent worldwide.
The price is expected to be reduced to 8,800 yen in Japan, to eu99 in Europe and to $79.95 in the US.
See also:
A battle for the hearts, minds and trigger fingers of gamers everywhere. 23 Nov 2001All Computer Games
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