Jari Ketola
27 May 2004 16:21
Nintendo has suggested that they might unveil the successor to the GameCube gaming console in the next year's E3 video game trade show. The release of a new GameCube would not come as a surprise, because both Sony and Microsoft are also expected to unveil their new consoles next year.
The GameCube has not been a huge success, and the sales have been quite disappointing. In the US GameCube makes up only 17% of the market.
The next GameCube will most likely interact closely with the recently announced Nintendo DS dual-screen handheld console. DS, which is equiped with wireless LAN, will start shipping in Japan this Christmas.
"Rather than offering a new edition of the same thing, we want to offer new ways of game playing," said Nintendo's Yoshihiro Mori.
With the recent unveiling of PlayStation Portable, the mobile gaming seems to be truly getting underway. The current mobile gaming market is dominated by Nintendo's GameBoy, which has sold over 190 units wold wide. Mobile phone giant Nokia has tried entering the market with N-Gage and N-Gage QD, but so far the attempt has been a failure. Judging on the technical specifications and technology demos of both Sony PSP and Nintendo DS, Nokia N-Gage will have a tough time making it on the market.
Source: BBC News