Nintendo busts out the chequebook

Nintendo may have held their console back until May in Europe, and they may have ignored our pleas for tons of software, instead preferring to produce more first party titles in traditional Nintendo fashion. But on the other hand, they haven't overcharged us by nearly 50% and then gone around using mutilated animals as a promotional tool. Nintendo GameCube is about the children, and despite the €249 price tag, it's also about a huge marketing budget! That's right folks, unlike some enormous, greedy super-corporations we could mention, Nintendo have managed to surprise us with a low cost console and have done so without squandering hundreds of thousands of pounds' and Euros' worth of marketing money. Until now, hrm. Year of the Cube to be supported by one-hundred-million-Euro spend, the press release beams. Commencing in March, the enormous marketing push will see TV and cinema advertisements, open days, press events (junkets) and a high in-store presence. Bespoke campaigns focusing on new media (that's us), sampling, PR and ambient activity are also promised, somewhat cryptically. Details on the TV adverts and Cube Clubs to follow. Related Feature - Cube price rises