REDMOND, WASH. — Nintendo officially established the new price to beat in the next-generation video game war after announcing its GameCube system will carry a $199.95 suggested retail price when it ships this fall.
Nintendo countered its newest competitor, Microsoft, by announcing that GameCube would ship three days earlier, on Nov. 5, and it will sell for $100 less than either Xbox or the currently shipping Sony Playstation 2.
In addition, Nintendo said the new console platform will launch with six exclusive Nintendo game titles, each of which will carry a $49.95 suggested retail. Nintendo’s early first party GameCube titles will include: Luigi’s Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Melee,Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II and Pikmin.
Other upcoming games include: Animal Forest, Disney’s Mickey for Nintendo GameCube, Donkey Kong Racing, Eternal Darkness, Kameo: Elements of Power, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart for Nintendo GameCube, Metroid Prime, NBA Courtside 2002, Raven Blade, Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet and Wave Race Blue Storm.
Independent publishers and developers, including LucasArts and Electronic Arts, plan other titles for the system.
Nintendo GameCube is scheduled to launch in Japan on Sept. 14, 2001, and in Europe in early 2002.
